Jailbird || Stranger Things

thirty-five ➵ closure

Jonathan's car pulled up by the Byers house around the same time as Jim's. By that time, Billy had been dragged into the back of his Camaro, still unconscious. Teresa couldn't help but wonder if she could use those drugs as a way to sleep through the night.

    While they waited, the party crashed on the couch, eating a few things from the fridge that would undoubtedly go off if they were left out of the fridge for much longer. They wrote a grocery list together, splitting the items up, though Teresa and Steve were fully aware that they would end up replenishing the Byers' fridge by themselves.

    When the three sets of headlights shone into the living room, the group immediately pushed themselves up onto their feet, scrambling to greet their friends and family.

    "Whose California plates are these?" Jim asked as he spotted his daughter rushing down the porch towards him. Neglecting to answer, Teresa threw herself into him, holding him close as Jim's arms instinctively wound around her body. Much like he had held Eleven just moment ago.

    "You didn't say anything on the radio," she complained, pulling back from him to give his shoulder a light shove.

    "El passed out, took a lot of energy. She's okay, but I was more concentrating on that, if that's all right with you?" he asked as she pulled away and he looked down at her. At the sight of a few more bandaids, his eyebrows furrowed. Then, noticing that her eyes were glossy, Jim let out a sigh. "What happened to you guys?"

    "Hargrove turned up, looking for Max. Steve and I had to fight him off—"

    "Why the hell would he get in a fight over that?"

    "I—" she cut off, her mouth closing with an audible click as her teeth knocked against each other. "It's—"

    "We'll talk about it at home," he nodded, understanding her reasons to be quiet. "I'm gonna make his life hell—"

    "No you won't. It's not his fault. But I need two favours. One as my dad, and one as Chief," she told him, Jim nodding for her to speak. "Steve doesn't want to go to the hospital, said something about insurance. I think he has a concussion, he shouldn't be home alone. Do you think he could crash with us?"

    Jim paused, watching her with furrowed eyebrows. "He's sleeping on the couch."

    "Will you wake up every hour to ask him basic questions?" she asked, raising a dark eyebrow of her own.

    "He's not sleeping in your room."

    "No, but I'll take your bed," she offered. Jim paused before he let out a sigh.

    "Fine."

    "Thank you."

    "Chief favour?"

    "I called Max's mom to keep Billy and Max out of trouble. Could we take them home and explain his car broke down and you pulled in a favour with the mechanic? We told her Max lost track of time and apologised. Tell them it's been fixed, that it won't happen again. That Billy was respectful, apologised for the inconvenience and explained his parents were worried about her."

    Jim couldn't help but watch her carefully again. A few words immediately popped out at him, but watching as his daughter's hand kept twisting the edge of her torn shirt, he knew there was only one answer he could give her.

    "I'll drive his car, he's in the back. Jonathan can drive the kids home with Nancy," she added, but Jim was already nodding in agreement.

    "Harrington is with me," he warned.

    "Yes, sir."

──────

With a soft sigh, Teresa turned the key in the ignition, checking once more that the car was in park. She wound up the window on her side by hand, before she opened the door, and Jim pulled up right behind her.