Shared Trauma (Stranger Things AU)

[14]

NOVEMBER 2ND 1984 - NOT A GOODBYE, A SEE YOU SOON

Ve walked up to the cabin, knocking on the door.

"El? It's me, Jessie."

The door unlocks, and Ve enters indoors, pausing at the mess of the cabin.

"...What happened?"

"He found out that I went out yesterday."

Ve groaned, looking to El.

"I'm sorry El, I-"

"He said he talked to Billy..."

Ve growls, crossing her arms.

"He did...he made us fight."

"Why?"

"He failed to mention that I didn't tell him about Billy, that he saw his name in the tag of the jacket I'm wearing."

"...What happened to your arms?"

Ve tensed, El now looking at her from the couch.

"...I..."

Ve sighed, biting her lip.

"...I'm sorry El..."

El's eyes widened, covering her mouth.

"Y-You-"

Ve nodded, pulling up the jacket sleeves to reveal the bandages, looking away from El who gasps.

"...Billy cleaned me up though...not his fault." Ve says, sharply speaking the last part to El, who's expression was changing to one of anger.

El sighed, crossing her arms.

"..You promised-"

"I promised I TRY, okay? I did try. I lasted an entire year." Ve snaps, El quieting.

"...Longer than your old one."

"Yeah...I know."

El looks up, biting her lip.

"I found my mama."

Ve freezes at that.

"What?"

El nods.

"...I want to go find her..."

Ve hesitates before-

"I found Gabby."

El looks to Ve, furrowing her eyebrows.

"S...She's dead?"

Ve shook her head, growling;

"No. They LIED. I didn't kill Gabby. It was a TRICK. A PUNISHMENT. For our escape attempt when the candle count was nine."

El looked doubtful.

Ve sighed, taking the file from her bag, turning to the page about Gabby and-

"Subject Twelve is successfully under the impression that she caused her sister, Subject Thirteen's death, a little lesson for that escape attempt. Subject Thirteen will be moved back with Subject Eight, in another lab." She reads, El's expression changing to one of horror, letting in a gasp.

"...Oh..."

"Yeah...oh..."

"...Jessie...I'm sorry..." El whimpered.

Ve puts the file away.

"It's okay. But..."

Ve sighed, biting her lip.

"Want to go look for them? For your mama and for Gabby?"

El sniffles, hesitating.

She's had enough of staying in this cabin.

"...Okay."

Ve nods...then sighs.

"...I need to tell Billy I'm leaving..."

El smiles.

"...Can I meet him?"

X

When Ve came back through the window, Billy was prepared to tell her about what happened today-

Then another girl joined her, hiding behind Ve.

She had short, curly brown hair, a flannel over a pair of overalls on, white tennis shoes on.

"Ve?" Billy asks, not liking how Ve's lips trembled.

"...Gabby's alive...and El found her mama..."

Billy blinks, Ve giving him her file.

"It was in there."

"...I didn't know...I haven't read it all yet..."

Ve nods, sniffling.

"...I need to go look for her Billy." She says, taking in a shaky breath.

Oh...

Now he understands.

"...You're leaving?"

"Jessie, we need to go." The girl behind Ve whispers.

"Wait." Ve says, biting her lip.

"Hey, it's okay. This sounds important." Billy says, trying to bite back his hurt tone.

Ve wasn't fooled though.

She rushes to him and throws her arms around him, letting out a shaky sob.

He wraps his arms around her, ruffling her hair, and for once she didn't protest against it.

"...Gracias para todos, hermano mayor." She whispers to him, tugging down his shirt and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.

Ve steps back, reaching for the clasp of the necklace-

"Don't." Billy quickly says, stopping her.

"...Keep it. Like I told you yesterday, I gave it to you so you can remember someone cares about you."

Ve gives him a trembling smile, tears running down her cheeks.

The other girl watches the two before walking to Billy, taking his hand.

"...Thank you for taking care of my sister." She says, her voice soft and gentle, a grateful expression crossing her face, squeezing his hand gently.

Oh...

This is Eleven.

He nods, Eleven stepping back, heading to the window, leaving through it.

Ve slowly heads to the window, hesitating.

"...Ve?"

She walks towards him again and tugs him down, this time placing her hands on his hair-

Growing a flower crown from her palms, placing it on his head.

Billy blinks as she pressed another kiss to his forehead.

"This isn't a goodbye...I don't like them." She says, stepping back.

"How about a see you soon?" Billy offers, Ve nodding.

"...See you soon Billy..."

"See you soon, Ve."