Chapter II: Aftermath


Jim Hopper didn't know when exactly he had signed up for all of this crazy crap. But apparently, he had and now he was neck deep in it. Standing next to the telekinetic girl that trouble seemed to follow around like a lost puppy he wondered how everything had gotten so bad so fast.

It seemed as if just yesterday he and Joyce were sharing a cigarette and leaning against his truck and now here he was down a giant hole staring at a split in the universe with a thirteen-year-old kid standing next to him ready to risk it all to save her friends.

And the whole world for that matter.

When the big ugly shadow monster-what was it that the boys called it again? Oh right, the Mind Flayer. Stupid name if you asked him, but whatever works- reared its ugly head Hopper had to take a deep breath to steady himself. Because that thing was freaky looking. It gave him the heebie jeebies just thinking about it.

El seemed to brace herself, her shoulders setting and she rose a hand and concentrated on closing the gate. Hopper gripped the gun in his hands tighter and kept an eye out for any more of those demo-dogs. 'Stupidest name if I ever did hear one' Hopper thought to himself smothering a snort at the memory of Dustin's enthusiasm while explaining his play on words.

Slowly the gate started to close. Which seemed to agitate Mr. Shadow-monster, if the long wispy arm-like thing that had stretched out towards them meant anything. Once the shadow-arm passed through the gate a loud and deep voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

"Cease now child if you ever wish to see your love again."

Hopper and El both froze, eyes wide shock.

"What the-" Hopper swore as he stared at the giant shadow-monster in stupefied-horror.

El ignored him and glared right up at the monster. A dangerous look in her eyes. "What do you mean?" She demanded.

"The storyteller with a heart-of-gold. The loyal one. Mike."

Hopper felt his face grow pale at the name of the Wheeler kid. If what the monster said was true, then Eleven was going to go ballistic.

"You lie!" El yelled her eyes wide with fright at the thought of Wheeler being in trouble.

"INSOLENCE!" The Mind Flayer yelled and Hopper had to wince again at the sheer anger and power radiating from the beast. "I do not lie child. See for yourself."

Hopper swore as his vision went black for a second before focusing again on a sickening scene.

Michael Wheeler was spread-eagled on the ground by vines wrapped around his wrists and ankles. Deep claw marks adorned his chest and one of his arms looked horribly mangled, the bone clearly broken. Ugly thick bruising wrapped around his neck like a tie. His brown eyes were wide with terror and pain as he stared at the demo-dogs that surrounded him.

"Son of a-" Hopper muttered feeling a pit in his stomach. Seeing the boy's face twisted in pain like that made him think of his daughter and it wasn't a happy comparison.

"Mike." El whispered the hand that was still stretched outward started to shake.

A demo-dog stepped forward leaf-like mouth open wide with a hiss. With a lightning fast strike, it bit into Mike's shoulder of the injured arm. Mike screamed writhing in pain.

El screamed as well and Hopper felt his heart twist at the sheer amount of pain in the sound. His own hands were clenched into fists so tight it was a wonder that he hadn't broke the skin yet.

The demo-dog stepped back and another one took its place. Again, and again the demo-dogs would bite random parts of the poor boy's body then step back to let the next one have a turn.

With each bite El seemed to break just a little bit each time. Her lips bloody from where she had bitten hard enough to draw blood.

Hopper's own hands ached with how tightly he was clenching them.

"El..." Mike sobbed his eyes pinched with pain and sorrow. "I'm sorry El."

Hopper's eyes widened and he looked at El not knowing, but having a pretty good guess, on how she would take this.

The sheer amount of pain, sorrow and love in her eyes took Hopper's breath away.

After one particularly painful bite Mike screamed "ELEVEN!"

With the sounds of the boy's screams echoing in his ears the weird vision thing ended. Hopper shuddered at the amount of pain the poor child was in.

"You hurt Mike!" Eleven yelled her voice raw with both power and pain.

"No child I killed him." The Mind Flayer's voice seemed deeply satisfied at seeing the pain It had caused.

With a powerful scream Eleven thrust both hands outward and focused on closing the gate. Pushing past the fatigue and sorrow she felt she channeled the burning rage from within her and willed the gate to close. So great was her focus that she didn't realize when she had started to levitate.

Hopper noticed though, and he was in awe at the amount of power this little girl held. But his focus was quickly turned to the demo-dogs that had appeared climbing the walls. A few of them looked like they still had blood on them and, channeling his own anger, Hopper started shooting the beasts down.

'This is for you kid' He thought, his gut tightening in sorrow at the look of wonder that had always shown in Wheeler's eyes. If he could take out the beasts that had taken that boy away then he was happy to do so.

With a final ear-splitting scream, the gate closed; which in turn cut off the demo-dogs from the hive-mind, causing them to fall to the ground motionless.

"Mike. Mike." El sobbed as she fell to the bottom of the lift thing they were on. "Don't leave me. You promised. You promised!"

"Oh kid," Hopper breathed pulling her towards him. "Shh, it's going to be okay."

"No, it's not...Mike's gone... nothing will be okay." El sobbed into his chest.

-ST-

Dustin, Lucas, Max and Steve raced down the tunnel after Dart desperately hoping to find their friend before it was too late. It tore at them to hear Mike scream for them to help but not being able to.

Dustin's heart felt like it had been ripped out of his chest and put through a blender at the sound of his friend's pained cries. Mike had always been there for him, always there to make sure he was okay. Heck he had even jumped off a cliff to save him from getting his teeth knocked in. To hear him be in such pain and not be able to do anything to stop it was nothing short of torture. Guilt gnawed at his insides, inwardly beating himself up for not keeping a closer eye on his friend. For not making sure Mike was with them.

Lucas felt like each cry from his best friend was a physical blow and it was all he could do to keep himself going and not just crumpling to the ground in a sobbing heap. Mike was his first friend, his best friend, and now he was in pain and there was nothing... nothing Lucas could do to stop it. He, like Dustin, felt guilty as well. But for more than just not watching his best friend and making sure he stuck with the group. He was remembering all the words he said to Mike in anger about his being stuck up on Eleven. For him ignoring his friend to spend time with Max.

Max, although not as close with Mike as the other two, still felt horrible at hearing the sounds of his pain. She knew that he hadn't liked her intruding on the 'party' without being asked, and felt like she was taking Eleven's spot but she had just wanted him to like her. To be his friend and see how 'amazing' and 'awesome' Mike Wheeler was. She just hoped that they would get to him in time.

Steve, like Max, wasn't as familiar or close with the youngest Wheeler. That still didn't stop his stomach twisting in both guilt and anguish at the sounds of pain coming from the boy. Guilt, because he was supposed to protect them. 'Yeah, and you're doing an amazing job at that' He thought his fists clenching tightly around his bat. Anguish, because the amount of pain that the boy was in tore at his heartstrings and he wished he could take the pain away and make sure that Mike would never feel pain again. No one should go through that much pain. No one.

The good news was... they were getting closer to Mike. The bad news; his cries were getting louder and more gut-wrenching. Especially when he started apologizing.

After turning another corner, they all froze at the sight before them staring in wide-eyed horror.

Mike was sprawled out on the ground his arms and legs secured by the blasted vines and a ring of demo-dogs were taking turns in biting him.

"ELEVEN!"

Dustin couldn't take any more of this and with a cry of "Hey bastards! GET OFF OF MY FRIEND!" he leapt forward and full on rugby tackled the nearest demo-dog. Dart followed Dustin's lead and started tearing into the demo-dogs. Not even pausing to think about it Lucas and Max both bolted forward to tackle their own demo-dogs. Steve, of course, was using his bat and started swinging. Vision turning red in his anger at the fact that one of his charges was hurt.

The demo-dogs didn't like that their meal had been interrupted and so they fought back with equal ferocity. Each side got a few good swipes in but the kids had something to fight for so they had the edge. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but was probably just a few minutes, the demo-dogs were dead or gone away to other parts of the upside-down. Dart had saved Mike's life once again but payed the ultimate price for it, as his siblings turned on him and tore him to pieces.

Once Steve was sure there wasn't going to be anything jumping out at them he started to hack away at the vines that were currently tying Mike down.

Dustin and Lucas both rushed forward to sit by their friend.

"M-Mike" Dustin sobbed as he took in the full magnitude of his friend's injuries. "It's g-gonna b-be okay buddy. We're here now. We got you."

Mike's body was wracked with sobs. "Dustin. It h-hurts."

"Shh, you're going to be okay. Don't talk." Dustin said through his sobs before looking up at Steve. "Help him...Please!"

Steve's face, still beat up from the fight he had, looked beyond pained at the state of the boy laying in front of him. Gritting his teeth, he knelt down next to Mike. "This might hurt kid," He warned before gently scooping the boy into his arms, wincing at the whimpers that this action caused. Once he was situated he stood up and looked at the tear-stained faces of the kids. "Let's get out of here before they come back."

With no further protest from the kids they ran, as fast as they could with Steve holding a practically unresponsive Mike, as they could.

Max, who had taken charge of the bat, and Lucas-who had the map- took the front leaving Dustin and Steve in the back.

They navigated the tunnels as fast as they could, being careful of the vines which tried to trip them. After one last corner they could see where they had come in.

Thirty feet.

Twenty-five.

Twenty feet.

Steve's chest was ached with the strain of carrying a thirteen-year-old kid for so long, and also because with every step Mike would let out a pitiful whimper. "We're almost there kid. Hold on. Hold on kid." He whispered daring to take a brief glance at the boy in his arms.

Fifteen feet.

"Hold on Mike, please. Please don't die on me buddy. Please." Dustin whispered his hand reaching out to clasp Mike's.

It was at ten feet that everything had started to go screwy. There was an outbreak of screeches from a horde of demo-dogs heading towards them. Panicked they doubled their pace until they reached where they had left the rope. Passing Mike to Dustin Steve helped Max and then Lucas up the rope. Once they were stable enough he turned and grabbed Mike from Dustin -wincing at the pained cry that the boy gave- but couldn't do much else before the horde was upon them.

Strangely though, the demo-dogs didn't do anything other than rush past them wholly focused on getting somewhere.

"El..." Mike breathed his pained eyes widening. He started to weakly struggle to get out of Steve's arms.

"Hey...Shh. No stop moving kid, she'll be okay." Steve said frantically trying to calm Mike down before the boy caused him to lose his grip. "Dustin help me."

"Mike calm down," Dustin pleaded looking at his friend trying to calm him. "El's going to be okay. She's a superhero remember? But you're not if you keep squirming like that so calm down before Steve drops you." Mike looked at Dustin then nodded ever so slightly before going limp.

"Hey no... none of that. Mike open your eyes."

Mike's eyes fluttered and finally, after an agonizing moment of tense silence, they opened. "M'here." He slurred. "M'wake."

"Guys is everything okay?" Lucas called down worry in his voice. "What's taking so long?"

"Yeah, just peachy. Get ready to pull Mike up." Steve called up. He turned to Dustin. "Alright you're going to have to help me with him."

Dustin nodded looking eager to help his friend. "Alright what do I do?"

"Alright grab the rope and tie a bowline on a bight knot." Steve directed as he set Mike back down as carefully as he could.

"A what?" Dustin asked looking beyond confused.

Steve sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose...before wincing sharply at the pain of his still broken nose. In all the excitement and drama, he had forgotten about his own injuries. Breathing through the pain he turned back to Dustin. "Fine, a figure eight knot do you know how to tie one of those?"

"Yeah!" Dustin said grabbing the end of the rope and started to tie the specified knot making sure to do his absolute best so that it wouldn't come undone and hurt Mike even more. Once he had double checked that it was tied properly he held it up for Steve to examine. After getting a nod of approval, he helped Steve get Mike secured enough so that he wouldn't fall out.

"Okay, pull!" Steve yelled whilst he tried to boost Mike up on his end.

After many grunts and much swearing they were able to get Mike up and out of the hole. While Lucas checked to see if Mike was stable Max dropped the rope so the others could climb up.

Once they were all top-side Steve picked Mike up again and started for the car. "Come on! We need to get him to the hospital asap."

The rest of the kids didn't need to be told twice. They raced towards the car, Dustin and Lucas helping Steve get Mike in the car and making him comfortable. The three friends were in the back with Mike practically laying across both Lucas and Dustin's laps. Max took shotgun and Steve was at the wheel.

Just as they were turning onto the main road the headlights in the car brightened so suddenly that Steve had to pull over so that he didn't crash the car. It stayed bright for a few minutes before dimming to more tolerable levels.

"Eleven." Mike said his breath hitching before falling completely unresponsive.

"No-no-no-no." Dustin said his voice verging on the edge of panic.

"What's going on back there?!" Steve demanded, stepping on the gas so suddenly that everyone jolted.

"He went unconscious! I don't even know if he's still breathing!" Lucas said hysterically frantically trying to get Mike to wake up

Steve swore and put more pressure on the gas. Willing the car to go faster.

Dustin, who was keeping up a steady stream of swearing, was also trying to get his friend to wake up. Max looked on anxiously, desperately hoping that Mike would be okay. They had all been through so much together and he couldn't leave now. Not when Eleven just came back into his life.

After breaking about fifteen laws and speed limits Billy's stolen car screeched to a halt outside the hospital. Leaving the car in park Steve got out and quickly grabbed Mike, his worry heightening at the lack of response from the boy. Not even a whimper.

Bursting through the doors he yelled for someone to help him. Two doctors rushed over with a gurney and helped him get Mike situated babbling medical jargon the whole time before wheeling him past two swinging doors and down the hall out of sight.

"S-Steve? Is he going to be okay?" Dustin asked his eyes welling up with even more tears.

-ST-

Hopper had to carry Eleven out of the facility after she had passed out due to the exhaustion and sorrow that she was currently feeling. After getting her situated Hopper went around to the driver's side of his truck and bowed his head against the glass mourning innocence lost.

"I blame you! I BLAME YOU!"

"Nothing about this is okay!"

"You're a liar! Liar! Liar"

A pained grimace came upon the sheriff's face as he thought of the amount of pain that boy saw in his young life. Far more than anyone should have. It just wasn't fair. Taking a deep breath, he got in the truck and pulled out of the parking lot of a building that he would be happy to never see again in his life.

"Mike." Eleven muttered in her sleep, face twisting in pain. "Mike no. No. Mike. MIKE." With a gasping sob the girl startled awake and looked around in a panic.

Quickly pulling over to the side of the road and putting the truck in park Hopper leaned over and pulled El into a hug his heart breaking for the girl. "Shh...kid It's okay."

El looked up at him, her eyes dark and pained. "Nothing about this is okay. Mike's gone."

Hopper's heart clenched at hearing those words again. He let out a shuddering breath and kissed the top of her head. "I know. I'm sorry kid."

"I need to see him." Eleven's voice broke slightly on the last word. "Please."

"Of course." Hopper said giving her a comforting squeeze. "They'll be at the hospital most likely."

With that said he put the car in drive and started for Hawkins' hospital. If he drove a little faster than the speed limit...well, he was the sheriff and it was sort of an emergency... regardless he got to the hospital in record time. Eleven was out of the door before he even put it into park.

He was just about to get out of the car when he remembered the others in their little group. They didn't know.

Gripping the steering wheel tightly he groaned. This is going to go well. With a heavy sigh he picked up his CB radio and hoped that they could hear him.

"Joyce, this is Hopper. Do you copy?"

There was a moment of static before Nancy's voice came on. "What's going on chief?"

Hopper winced, the girl's voice was breathless with relief and triumph. He didn't want to ruin her happiness but knew that she needed to be told. It was her brother after all. "Listen...something happened. Meet us at Hawkins' Central."

"What's going on?" Nancy's voice had a little tremble of fear. "Is it El? Is she hurt? Mike's not going to be happy if she's hurt."

Hopper's breath hitched at the kid's name. "No, it's not El."

"Oh good." Nancy breathed out in relief. "Then who is it? You're not hurt, are you?"

"No...no I'm fine." Hopper found himself saying even though he knew that he was far from fine. "It... it's Mike."

There were a few minutes of static and Hopper feared the worst. Finally, someone came on the line. It was Joyce. "Hop, what's going on? Nancy just started sobbing and raced out the door. What did you say to her?"

"Joyce...something happened...with Mike." Hopper said his voice pained.

-ST-

Nancy Wheeler watched with a smile as the Byers huddled together basking in the triumph and happiness of Will being free of the Mind Flayer's awful clutches. It was over. The gate was finally closed (if the lights going super bright for a few minutes meant anything) and everything worked out.
Then why did she have an unsettled feeling in her gut?

"Joyce, this is Hopper. Do you copy?"

Nancy looked at the radio and the feeling in her stomach heightened. "What's going on Chief?" She answered, smiling at Jonathan when he looked over at her.

"Listen...something happened. Meet us at Hawkins' Central."

Nancy's hand tightened around the radio and she felt her face pale. "What's going on?" She demanded, her voice trembling a little.

"Nancy what's wrong?" Jonathan asked looking at her in concern.

Nancy waved him off and continued the conversation. "Is it El? Is she hurt? Mike's not going to be happy if she's hurt."

By now both Joyce and Jonathan were looking at her, faces pinched in concern. Will had perked up a little bit at the name of his best friend.

Hopper's voice sounded pained. "No, it's not El."

Nancy breathed out a sigh in relief. That was good. Mike didn't need to worry over her any more than he already had. "Then who is it? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Nancy what's going on?" Jonathan asked again getting up and walking over to her.

"No…no I'm fine." Hopper said even though he sounded far from fine. There was a tiny pause and Nancy felt the dread in her gut tighten. "It... it's Mike."

Nancy's mind froze and distantly heard the thump of the radio hitting the floor as it slipped through her numb fingers. 'No. Not Mike. Not Mike.' Her mind repeated these words like a prayer as she found herself rushing towards the door and out to the car. Heedless of the shouts behind her.

This was not happening. This wasn't happening.

She already lost Barb...she couldn't lose her brother too.

"Nance?" Jonathan's soft voice startled her as she hadn't heard him follow her. "What's going on?"

"M-Mike." Nancy said her voice cracking with the pain at the thought of losing her brother.

"What about Mike?" Jonathan asked looking concerned. "Is he okay?"

Nancy looked up at him, his features blurred from the tears in her eyes. "I don't know. Hopper said something happened to him."

"Then let's find out." Jonathan said holding up the keys.

-ST-

Steve reached over and pulled Dustin into a hug. "I don't know kid. I just don't know." He whispered into Dustin's hair, squeezing the boy tighter when he had started to sob again. Lucas and Max came over and joined the hug each of them breaking down at the thought of losing their friend.

After a few minutes Steve broke away from the group hug and told them to all sit down before they fell and that he was going to the bathroom.

Turning on the sink Steve scrubbed at the blood still coating his hands wanting to get the crimson stain, and all that it signified, off. Once he had practically rubbed his hands raw he splashed some water on his face, his tears blending in seamlessly. His hands gripped the sides of the sink in a white knuckled grip as he practically prayed for Mike to be okay to make it through this. Eyes closed so tight he was seeing stars he bent forward, his forehead almost resting on the sink's edge.

He just felt so guilty. It was his fault that Mike was out there somewhere fighting for his life on an operating table as the doctors and nurses tried everything in their power to keep him alive. If Mike didn't get through this okay Steve didn't know what he'd do. Didn't know how he could live with the guilt.

"S-Steve?"

At the small voice behind him Steve opened his eyes and spun around to face Dustin. As their eyes met Steve felt a little bit of him die at the sight of sheer pain that was in this thirteen-year old's eyes.

"Yeah?" Steve asked his voice a mere croak. "Did you need something?"

Dustin fidgeted slightly looking lost. "I just... you weren't..." He trailed off biting his lip before bringing his head up again to look at Steve. "Will…will you sit with us? Please?"

Steve's heart twisted again at this statement. "Of course. Come on let's go find the others and wait for news."

With that the odd duo went back to the rest of their little group and waited for whatever news would come.

"What are we going to tell his parents?" Lucas moaned hiding his face in his hands. "Oh no. What are we going to tell Nancy?"

Steve felt a swooping sensation in his stomach at the sound of his ex-girlfriend's name. What were they going to tell her?

Dustin swore suddenly. "What are we going to tell El?"

Everyone winced at this thought. Not wanting to be the one to have that conversation. El was freaking scary.

"Are you here for Michael Wheeler?" A doctor asked coming up to the group and giving them a critical once-over.

"Yes." Lucas and Dustin said in unison. "Is he okay?"

The doctor's face fell slightly. "We did all we could. I'm sorry but he's gone."

"No." Dustin breathed falling backwards against Steve in horror.

"Mike." Lucas sobbed crumpling to the ground "MIKE"

Steve clutched Dustin like a lifeline as his eyes blurred, filling with tears. Max was also crying but comforting Lucas as best she could.

Just then there was a commotion over by the entrance that drew both Steve and the doctor's eyes. Eleven strode in her eyes sweeping the room before landing on the little group. Steve shivered as he met her eyes. They looked so empty and lifeless.

"Dustin..." Steve whispered trying to get the boy's attention. "Look."

Dustin pulled his head from where it was buried against Steve's chest and turned to look at his friend. "Eleven!" He cried his voice cracking mid-way through the word. He shook free of Steve's embrace and started towards his friend.

Eleven raced forward and met him halfway. They both clung together tightly Dustin sobbing and muttering under his breath about how he was sorry, and it was all his fault.

"What happened Harrington?" Hopper's gruff voice startled Steve out of watching the heartbreaking sight before him.

"Demo-dogs..." Steve muttered feeling the adrenalin finally start to wear off. Stumbling backwards he collapsed into the chair that he had previously vacated. "They...they got Mike. We were too late."

Hopper swore, his face paling as he remembered the vision thing that both he and El had. He clapped a hand on Steve's shoulder and squeezed briefly.

"I'm so sorry Chief, I tried so hard to get him back here in time, but I just couldn't. There was so much blood..." Steve's voice trailed off and he clenched his eyes shut trying to get that image out of his head.

Hopper winced as well knowing what the boy was talking about. Before he frowned. "Why were you anywhere near demo-dogs anyway?" He asked his voice sharp.

Steve flinched at the sound and hastened to explain. "They wanted to draw attention away from you guys so that El could close the gate quicker. I told them forget it that we were staying put but then Billy showed up and-"

"Wait...who is Billy?" Hopper demanded looking at the boy sharply.

"My brother." Max's small voice took both by surprise as they hadn't realized that she had been listening in. Dustin and Eleven had come back to sit down without either of them realizing. Eleven was hanging on their every word.

Max gulped slightly at the fact that she now had everyone's undivided attention. "He attacked Lucas and beat the crap out of Steve."

Steve winced at the memory and leaned his head in his hands not wanting to see the judgement on anyone's faces.

"Max stabbed him in the neck with a syringe though!" Lucas said with a tear-stained smile. "It was awesome."

"We drove to the spot where you first broke through," Dustin spoke up his voice hoarse from crying. "M-Mike had a plan to torch the graveyard place where Mrs. Byers found you. Everything was going fine until..." His voice trailed off biting his lip before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Until we started to leave. As we were heading back Mike...he fell behind. The minute we noticed we started back for him, but we were too late...a demo-dog got him and dragged him off into a secret underground cavern or something. Th-the vines were holding him down and-" His voice broke and he dissolved into fresh sobs at the memory of seeing his friend in such a position.

El too was sobbing, her head bowed in grief. She looked physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

"El," Max spoke up suddenly causing the brunette to look at her with dead eyes. "His last words were your name. He loved you very much. I am so sorry."

Eleven flinched remembering Mike screaming her name. That he told her that he was sorry. This was all her fault. Mike had always been there, even if he hadn't been physically, he was always with her. He had been there to explain things to her; to be the one that first truly accepted her for who she was, faults and all. He was her first friend. Her first love.

And now he was gone.

He who had waited and called her every night every single night for three-hundred-and-fifty-three days, who taught her what friendship was. Who taught her what it felt like to be loved and cared for.

If only she had been faster at closing the gate, or...or had been there for him. Oh, how she wishes she could just trade places with him. That she would be the one to die so that he would be able to live. She would do anything, anything, if she could just see his smile again. See the way his whole face would light up brighter than the sun, his freckles like the stars in the sky. His eyes...his eyes that were always so warm and so loving that had looked at her as if she was the only girl in the world.

Now she would never see those eyes again.

And it hurt.

"Where is he? Where is Mike? Where is my brother?!"

Everyone turned towards the entrance of the hospital to see an almost hysterical looking Nancy demanding answers whilst a slightly-more-calm Jonathan tried to get her to calm down. Joyce Byers came in after them Will plastered to her side looking like death warmed over.

Hopper and Steve immediately stood up and walked over to the new arrivals. Joyce, once she saw Hopper started firing off questions. Nancy looked up at Steve and once she saw the look on his face she shook her head in denial, tears filling her eyes.

"No. Steve, please just tell me where my brother is. Steve. Please." Her voice broke on the last word.

"I'm so sorry Nance." Steve whispered his voice twisted in anguish. He gathered her in his arms. "He's gone."

"No. You're lying!" Nancy pushed him away shaking her head furiously. "He can't be gone!"

"The doctors tried everything Nance, he's gone." Steve said looking at her with the same amount of pain in his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"What do you mean?"


JG: Sorry (not sorry) about the cliffy. You know how I love those.

Also: please forgive my ignorance with knots. I have no idea if those are the knots that would be used in this situation.

And as always thank you for your support!