She'd thought she was leading them, not causing them harm. How it fucking hurt to face the truth. She was pulling this Party apart, had been since Will disappeared. For the first time in her life, Andy faced the facts. Lucas was right.

And she was wrong.

''Dustin, what were you doing?'' Mike called, trying to redirect the attention onto the curly haired boy. ''Dustin?'' Dustin snapped out of his trance, staring at Lucas and Andy in horror and amazement.

''I-I need to see your compasses,'' he cried, finally pulling Lucas' attention off of Andy. Andy didn't move though, brown eyes still blown wide.

''What?'' Mike asked incredulously.

''You compasses,'' Dustin yelled. ''All of your compasses, right now! Andy!'' Andy finally faced Dustin, face pale and eyes full of unshed tears. ''Please go get your compasses.''

Andy nodded before running out of the room and into her father's study. She paused just outside the room, inhaling softly as Lucas' words echoed in her mind. 'You're a hypocrite!' he repeated on a loop. Stuttering breaths came out of her mouth as she made her way into the room, bypassing all the paperwork on the desk and reaching into the second drawer. A compass almost flew into her hand as it was flung about in the drawer.

Looking around carefully, she examined the room. A stunning image of her parents rested above the fireplace, the walls surrounding it lined with books. A quick glance down at the desk revealed paperwork that was half filled out, a pen leaking onto the table, covering the paperwork in its black ink.

Quickly reaching down, Andy picked up the pen, clicking it shut and throwing it in the bin. She reached into the drawer, where she knew her father kept the scrap paper, and yanked out several sheets, laying it over the spilled ink. ''Dammit!'' She cried softly as the ink spread through the paper like a wildfire. She chucked the sheets in the bin, before examining the page carefully.

Her eyes widened as she read the contents of the page and she shoved it into her bag. She knew she couldn't allow anyone to see that paper. Nobody could see it, not until she'd figured out what it meant.

''Andy!'' Dustin called from the hallway. Andy ignored him, scanning over the other pieces of paper to see if they held as much meaning as the one in her bag.

''Andy!'' He called again.

Andy shot up from her place at the desk when she heard footsteps coming towards the study, screaming ''Coming!'' as she dashed into the hall, and straight into Dustin.

''Did you get it?'' Dustin asked gazing at her empty hands. Andy blinked for a second before she remembered the importance of finding the compasses.

''Oh,'' Andy jumped, ''yeah, here.'' She passed the compass to Dustin, hoping to get him out of the hallway.

Dustin didn't move, staring at the singular compass. ''Is that it?'' Andy nodded, although she herself wasn't very certain. Her father's office was a mystery to her, just as much as it was to Dustin, really. ''Oh... okay,'' disappointedly, Dustin pocketed the compass. He faced Andy again, smile blooming on his face. ''Ready?!'' Andy gave a shaky nod in reply. ''Let's go!''

''Um, actually,'' Andy called shyly to Dustin's back. The curly haired boy slowly turned to face her, eyebrows raised.

''Dessa, what is it? We have to go!'' He gestured hurriedly out the door.

Andy opened her mouth, before pausing. ''I-I I have to stay here. I have some other stuff to do.''

Dustin's expression turned almost offended. ''What do you mean?! We're doing research 'Dessa! We need you to stop the dumbos from fighting!''

''Well I'm not very good at that, am I?'' Andy snapped, eyes narrowing at her friend. Dustin paused, brown eyes looking Andy up and down. ''I'm going to stay here and do some research. You go on this - this crusade with the boys.'' She spun on her heel, opening the door to the office.

''You-you do that,'' Dustin muttered weakly behind her, his voice soft. Andy paused, a nanosecond feeling like hours, as she considered turning back around. She considered turning in place and running after those three stupidly smart, yet so brainless boys that she adored with everything in her.

An image flashed through her mind, an image of big brown eyes and combed brown hair, a short mullet in his early teens that she'd gladly snipped off. An image of giggling at three am and sneaking drinks. Christopher. Her brother. Her big, brave brother who was missing. Who the police claimed had ran off. Who everyone else had forgotten.

Brown eyes narrowed and Andy stormed forward into her dad's office, leaving her friend's behind. And wasn't that a metaphor for her life?


''I don't understand,'' Jamie muttered as she poured over the Dungeons & Dragons book Andy'd given her. ''Why exactly am I looking at this? I,'' her tone turned accusing, ''thought we was gonna be looking at dreams and stuff.''

''Were,'' came Andy's reply, a gentle correction.

''So? Who cares? You've apparently decided to change your major from 'common sense' to 'delusional nerd'.'' Andy's eyes narrowed at Jamie, the blonde holding a cheeky smile on her face.

Andy sighed, turning her gaze back to the greek mythology book she held in her hands. ''I know, I know. It sounds delusional. But the boys somehow think their D&D game was involved with Will's kidnappi- death.''

Jamie quietened, several moments of silence passing between the two friends.

''You mean Christopher's too, don't you?''

Andy froze. Her eyes tingled as she fought back the tears, blinking them away. ''I don't know where he is, Jamie,'' she said, voice breaking and wobbling. ''He's out there somewhere, and I know nothing.'' Andy looked up, straight into her friends green eyes that sung with sympathy, with pity. Andy barely held in a grimace. How she hated pity. ''This is the only lead I have. Just,'' she sniffled, ''humour me, okay?''

Jamie nodded slowly, turning back to her book. ''What are we looking for?'' She asked.

''Anything to do with the Demogorgon, or alternate realms.'' Andy flipped over her page, jotting down in her journal. She could practically feel Jamie's eyebrows rise.

''Al-alternate realms?'' She said, her voice reeking with skepticism.

Andy hummed. ''Mr Clarke told us that theres a way to potentially cross into an alternate world, as long as you have a strong enough power source.''

''And do you have a power source?''

''Yep, but she went with the rest of the Party.''

''She?!''

''Oi!'' the screeching of one of the librarians came from behind them. Jamie and Andy whirled around, watching fire leave her nostrils. ''If you girls can't learn to control your voices, get out of my library,'' she warned, before swanning off with a huff.

''Jesus, no wonder she's divorced,'' Jamie murmured under her breath.

Andy chuckled in agreement. ''No kidding.'' The two went silent, an awkward tension filling the space as they kept to their books.

Andy's book was an old, faded textbook that'd been long abandoned if the dust patterns had anything to say about it. The Greek mythology course at school had come to an abrupt stop over a decade ago, according to the librarian, and the book hadn't been checked out since. The yellowed pages and plain font span around in Andy's brain, reading;

THE UNDERWORLD

The Underworld, or the Land of Death, is the realm in which people go to after they die. The realm is split into four parts; Elysium, the Asphodel Meadows, the Fields of Punishment and Tartarus. Elysium was the place of wealth and luxury, covered in shining gold and housing only the best of the best. The Asphodel Meadows was a place of indifference - only the cowardly went there in a desperate attempt to avoid judgement. Their souls wonder the fields for eternity, never happy, but never suffering. The Fields of Punishment is the plane in which all souls were tortured for their crimes. This is the place the cowardly avoid. Tartarus is a plane worse than any punishment the judges could reign. Considered as an almost entirely separate realm, Tartarus is where the Gods sentenced and imprisoned the Titans. No human soul could last in Tartarus.

Andy slowly shut the book, her fingers trembling and her eyes wide. She'd seen that name before. Tartarus. She knew it from somewhere. Tartarus. Slowly, a shaky hand slid off the book and to her satchel. Tartarus. She dug through the satchel with the thirst of a dying dehydrated man searching for water in the desert. Tartarus. She hissed as a sharp pain grew along her palm. She pulled her hand out, a red line of blood across her palm. Tartarus. It was a paper cut. There was paper in there. Tartarus. Just what she was looking for. She pulled the paper out, the thick, damp ink stain coating the page dripping onto her nails. Tartarus.

Her brown eyes flashed as she barely made out the words written on the page.

PROJECT: TARTARUS


Andy screamed as she dodged the long, slimy arm. It just missed, slamming into the wall above her head. The glass tiles fell off the wall and came down on her like an avalanche, pounding into her head with no restraint. She groaned, the bitter taste of iron telling her of the blood in her mouth.

''Come on, just a bit longer," the familiar voice that accompanied her during her dreams said, a warm tingling pulling on her arm.

Andy's teeth chattered as she forced herself to her feet. "Where are we going?" She whimpered, leaning against the warm figure as they did a strange stumble-sprint.

"To the woods. I think I know a place we can hide." The voice replied, panting. "Plus, we need to fix that cut on your head. Urgently."

Andy shook her head slowly, vision blurring more than it already was. "I can live. It's just a small cut."

"You misunderstand." The voice, usually so warm and understanding, had changed to a voice of distress. They talked fast, wobbling and stuttering. "That-that creature could track us through you. Andy… that thing hunts by blood."


Andy shot up in her bed, breathing heavily. Her head pounded and her mouth tasted metallic. She glance around in confusion. When had she gone to bed? She stumbled out of her bed, her day clothes still on. How had she gotten home? The last thing she remembered was being in the library, with Jamie.

She gazed out her window, staring into the slowly fading sun. It was just now sunset. How had that happened? She and Jamie couldn't have been at the library any later than five. Jamie's mum was extremely strict, after all.

In a confused haze, Andy left her bedroom, stumbling her way down the stairs and to the second floor. She brushed past her parents room, almost scared to enter it (she was never allowed entry as a child. Not even after nightmares. It was her parents only restriction.) and wandered to a polished wooden door, dust covering the handle.

She wasn't surprised. This room was hardly cleaned. Patricia, the maid, had had some sort of row with the room's owner before they'd left. Andy herself rarely came to this room. She never saw a reason too. Tara had cut all ties with her and with the family barely even a week after leaving them behind for her fucking boyfriend. It'd been three fucking years since Andy had even last heard Tara's name, let alone see her.

But now, when her parents were no where to be found, and Christopher was missing, and Tyler was still at the Byers, Andy wanted nothing more than to talk to someone, even if it was her absent sister. To feel the comfort of her sister's silk pillows and the soft fur comforter. They'd been close once, way back then, before boyfriends became a thing and drinking and drugs and whatever else tore their family apart.

Christopher had been doing it to; before he disappeared. The drinking and sleeping around that is. He was following in Tara's footsteps, which was probably why the police didn't believe what Tyler said. One Fisher had run off, it wouldn't have been that shocking for another, right?

Someone might've blamed their parents, but Andy couldn't see how. Their parents loved them with every fiber of their being, something so clear to Andy, but almost impossible to Tara. It was what'd broken them apart, in the end. Tara tried to run away with Andy, take her to New Yourk and get the fuck away from their family and whatever legacy Tara had left behind. Andy had screamed, alerting their parents and the neighbours to what was happening. Tara never forgave Andy. Andy never blamed her.

She slowly opened the door, relishing in the familiar creek that reminded her of late nights spent giggling and laughing at girls in movies.

The dust was far more evident in the room. It coated the curtains and spread across the bed. It'd be uncomfortable and even almost unhygienic for Andy to go near it, but she still did. Gently, she laid herself onto her sister's bed, breathing in the dust and trying desperately not to cough at the influx of duct balls and dust mites that travelled into her nose. She rolled over, staring into the black and white eyes of the photograph of Tara's high school boyfriend. Andy was pretty sure that that was the one that'd gotten her pregnant. Tara hadn't taken anything but her clothes when she'd left. She hadn't wanted anything to tie her back to her 'old family'.

Minutes trickled by slowly. Roughly an hour had passed before Andy sighed and stood up from the bed. She had better things to do than lay back and reminisce. She had a long list of things she had to do, first off being find out what'd happened to El and the Party. Then, she was going to find her brother. That she swore.

She made her way through the large house, past the photo covered hallway and the carpeted red stairs, down to the first floor. A familiar sound filled her ears. Hitched, panting breaths and wet, heart breaking sobs. She peered carefully around the corner, not at all surprised by what she saw. Tyler was crouched over Christopher's bed, nose buried in his twin's pillow as he wailed to all who could hear.

''Come back!'' he screamed into the pillow, his words surrounded by voice cracks and whimpering. Andy winced. Nothing hurt more than seeing your older sibling, someone you looked up to, break down. ''Please Chrissy, please.''

Andy slipped into the room and fell beside her brother, wrapping her arms around him. ''Come on, Ty,'' she murmured around her own whimpers, trying to tug her brother away from his pillow. ''Please, come on.'' Tyler didn't move. Well he did, but only to shove Andy away from him. ''Tyler, please,'' she begged, small voice cracking. ''You need to shower and eat. Come on.'' It only took one whiff of him for Andy to realise that Tyler hadn't showered in the time he'd been away.

He still didn't move, so neither did she. The two sat there well into the night, the elder crying and screaming for his brother to return, and the younger begging for her only family member to come back to her. Tyler fell asleep at 2:58 that morning. He still hadn't moved.

Andy pushed herself up off the floor and pressed a kiss to her brothers cheek. Her own cheeks were wet and stained, brown eyes puffed and swollen. She couldn't think properly. She'd watched her brother lose his voice as he yelled to all the gods he knew to return his other half to him. Begged them to take him instead. Called himself an abomination.


WARNING: MENTIONS OF BODY DYSPHORIA AND PERIOD TYPICAL TRANSPHOBIA. PLEASE SKIP UNTIL THE END OF THE MARKED AREA IF THIS CAUSES ISSUES FOR YOU


He wanted to be a girl, he confessed at around 1 o'clock. He wanted boobs and a vagina. He hated his body, hated that he was a boy. He deserved to be taken away, because he was flawed beyond repair. And although she hated it, and hated herself for it, Andy couldn't help but agree.

To think that way, it went against everything she agreed with. It went against loving yourself, it went against trusting your parents, it went against the tinniest part of her that remembered her Christian schooling. It just wasn't right.

Andy sat in the kitchen, holding her head in her hands. She didn't know what to do, what to think. Somehow, she wasn't quite sure how, she found herself outside, seated on her bike. She exhaled deeply and rode off, heading towards the first house she could think of.


The Henderson house leered above her, all the lights off and not a soul in sight. Andy took no notice of this, using her bike as a ladder of sorts and pulling herself onto the roof. The Henderson house wasn't a large house by any means, but it wasn't the first time Andy had snuck in to Dustin's room, and Andy knew that it was near impossible to enter Dustin's room except by climbing the roof and crawling in through the window.

She carefully army crawled across the roof, making sure every movement was a slow as a snails. It wouldn't do to wake anyone but the person she'd been intending to. She slowly began to hang her upper body from the roof, lowering herslef until she ws nose to nose with the glass window. Dustin was an idiot who always left his window unlocked - as Andy had come to know, so she merely reached out an arm and slid the window open.

Safely pulling herself back onto the roof, Andy turned herself around until her feet were dangling over the edge. She carefully slid herself backwards, her feet, then her knees, then her butt over the edge of the roof. She continued lowering until the tops of her ribs were the last object on the roof, and started to swing herself back and forth.

Finally getting enough momentum, Andy flung herself off of the roof, landing perfectly inside Dustin's bedroom. Andy grinned to herself at her small victory and faced the bed, only to cover a small scream as surprise at the sight of Dustin sitting up in his bed, a confused look on his face.

''Andy, what are you doing here?'' He asked, pausing a bit to yawn. His voice was deep and husky, as ones voice normally went after periods of sleep.

Andy blushed. She hadn't exactly expected him to be awake. She herself had no clue what she was doing there.

''I need some advice,'' she found herself saying nervously. ''Something big just happened.''


That morning found Andy leaving Dustin's home with a clear mind. They'd stayed up all night discussing moral values and family before Dustin and Andy had managed to draw a conclusion. Andy didn't care, and she wouldn't care again. Tyler was her family, her sibling, and if he was a girl - better for her. Someone to replace the shitty sister Tara had been these past few years.

She rode home full of determination, a massive smile on her face. That was exactly what she'd be telling Tyler when she got home. She didn't care anymore, she just loved her family and wanted them all back with her. She loved Tyler no matter what.

But when she got home, there was not a Tyler to be found. She checked in Christopher's room, where she'd left him, she checked his room, his and Christopher's bathroom, the lounge room, her father's study, Tara's room, Tyler's study, Christopher's study, their parents room on the off chance, the garage, and finally, the kitchen.

The kitchen's marble tops glimmered gently, a now cold stack of pancakes resting in the centre. There was a simple note, reading 'I went back to the Byers', but that was it. Tyler had left, again.

Andy forced herself to eat the cold pancakes. Tyler had made them for her despite everything, after all. She ate until the plate was glistening and then ate some more. Her Walkie-Talkie, that was rested on the counter, gave a buzz.

'''Dessa,'' came Dustin's call, ''meet me at Mike's. He's panicking. El still hasn't come back. Over.''

Andy sighed, reaching across the table to grab the Walkie-Talkie. ''Dustin, I'll be over in a second.'' She forced herself to her feet and dragged herself up the stairs to her bathroom, keeping the Walkie-Talkie close to her chest.

Fifteen minutes later, a dressed and refreshed Andy left her house, big round sunglasses covering the bags under her eyes. Tugging her hair hurriedly into a bun, Andy pushed the pedals on her bike, starting her journey back to the Henderson house. Her legs burned and her eyes squinted, all familiar feeling to the brunette girl, but something about it felt different. Off.

It could've been the complete lack of sleep she'd gotten the night prior, or it could've been the downfall from her goal not being completed, but something about Andy felt weird that day, and not in a good way. Her vision swayed slightly and her hands shook from their position on the handle bars.

''Andessa!'' Claudia, Dustin's mum, greeted cheerfully from her car as Andy pulled into her house.

''Hello Mrs Henderson,'' Andy smiled, taking the time to close her eyes behind her sunglasses.

''What brings you here, darling? I'm about to head out, so you and Dusty probably shouldn't stay in the house alone.'' She leaned out of the car, whisper talking conspiratorially, ''we wouldn't want the neighbours talking.'' Andy held in a giggle as Claudia winked exaggeratedly.

She absolutely adored Mrs Henderson. Claudia was a highlight of Andy's day every time she saw her. ''Don't worry, Mrs Henderson. Dusty and I will be out and about.''

Claudia grinned and closed the car door, swiftly pulling out of the drive and hurrying down the street with a simple, 'tata!' Andy dumped her bike on the floor and bounded up the stairs and entered the Henderson home - as mentioned, the Henderson's weren't particularly suspicious people, and always left everything unlocked. ''Oh Dusty!'' She called into the house.

She began to walk into the house, jokingly calling for 'Dusty' every few seconds. She knew how much Dustin hated that nickname. She'd just made her way past the living room when two large, warm hands made their way around her exposed midriff, clutching her tightly. Andy shrieked slightly, before falling into peals of laughter when she was lifted from the ground.

''Dont! Call! Me! Dusty!'' Dustin shouted as he chucked Andy up and down, smiling a toothless grin as the laughter carried through the small home.

He quickly put the girl down, and the two shared a large grin. ''Mike's?'' Andy asked, correcting her sunglasses from where they'd slif off of her nose.

''Mike's.''


''I just... I can't believe she didn't come back.'' Mike sighed as he paced his basement.

''She's gotta be close,'' Dustin said from his seat beside Andy on the couch. Andy stayed quiet. SHe'd only just been told of the situation as she and Dustin were riding over.

''She said it wasn't safe. She just messed up the compasses because she wanted to protect us. She didn't betray us.'' Mike ranted. ''If anything, Andy betrayed us, because she couldn't be bothered coming along.''

Andy looked down at the floor, barely swallowing back her protest. Mike was right, after all. She had been selfish, but she didn't regret ditching the guys in favour of finding her answers. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly being found. She just couldn't piece them together.

''Mike, calm down,'' Dustin warned darkly, wrapping an arm around Andy's shoulders.

''I shouldn't have yelled at her. I never should've done that.''

Andy sighed.

''Mike this isn't your fault,'' Dustin tried for soothing.

Mike nodded, ''yeah, it's Lucas'.''

''It wasn't his fault either.''

''It wasn't his fault?''

''No.''

''So you're saying he wasn't way out of line?''

''Totally, but so were you!''

''What?''

''And so was Eleven.''

''What the hell, Dustin?!''

''And so was Andy,'' Dustin finished.

Andy glanced up at Dustin, but still didn't speak. She knew what she needed to say, but she also knew she had to wait her turn. Sure, she'd been cruel first, but Mike and Lucas had had a full on fist fight. That had to be resolved first, and then she'd apologise. Was it pride? A bit.

''Oh, give me a break!''

''No, Mike, you give me a break! All four of you were being a bunch of little assholes! I was the only reasonable one.'' Andy returned her stare to her shoes. Dustin was right, of course. ''But the bottom line is, you pushed first. And you know the rule, you draw first blood-''

''No! No way! I'm not shaking his hand.''

''You're shaking his hand!''

''No, I'm not!''


Ding dong.

Mike stood in front of Lucas' door, barely holding back a suffering sigh as he prepared to apologise. Andy stood beside Dustin on his right. She still hadn't spoken. Andy jumped as the door opened, revealing Lucas in all his angry glory.

''What do you want?'' He demanded, hands on his hips. Mike said nothing, merely looking around. Andy still did not speak. Dustin huffed and slapped the two over the head. Mike sent him an angry look, only to get a glare in return. Andy grimaced as she rubbed the back of her head. It hadn't hurt, but the disappointment behind the action said plenty.

''I drew first blood so...'' Mike trailed off, holding out his hand. Lucas stared at his hand in disbelief, before ignoring it.

He faced Andy. ''What do you want?''

Andy took a deep breath, pushing down all her pride. ''To apologise. You were right. I was wrong. I was cruel, mean, argumentative, bossy, rude -''

Lucas cut her off, ''yes, you were.'' He sent her a final evaluative look before stepping aside. ''All of you get your butts in.''

He lead them into the parlour, where they all stood in silence. Lucas began to pace in front of them, clearly thinking everything over. ''Okay, I'll shake.'' He finally said. Dustin grinned and Mike hurriedly stuck out his hand. ''On one condition,'' they all froze. ''We forget the weirdo and go straight to the gate.''

''Then the deal's off,'' Mike spat.

''Fine,'' Lucas yelled in return.

''Fine!'' Mike mocked.

Dustin shook his head in worry. Andy stood to the side, going over every thought carefully. ''No, no not fine! Guys, seriously?'' Dustin was done dealing with the children. He spun Mike to face him.

''Do you even remember what happened on the Bloodstone Pass?'' Mike and Lucas shared a confused glance. Andy sighed and shook her head, knowing she would have no clue. ''We couldn't agree on what path to take, so we split up the party and those trolls took us out one by one. And it all went to shit. And we were all disabled!'' Mike and Lucas remained silent. ''So we stick together, no matter what!''

Lucas nodded, ''yeah, I agree. But this is the party, right here in this room.''

''El is one of us now,'' Mike reaffirmed. Andy bit her lip. This would not go well.

''Um, no, she's noe. Not even close! Never will be. She's a liar, a traitor-''

''She was just trying to keep us safe! She didn't mean to hurt you. It was an accident!''

''An accident?''

''I agree,'' Andy whispered. Everyone went silent. She looked up to see all three boys looking at her with shock. ''With the conditions, that is,'' she explained hurriedly. Mike's expression turned to anger, and Dustin's to pure shock. ''I've grown to love El like a little sister. But Will was a brother way before that. I need to stand by my family. I'll help you find the gate, and find Will, and,'' her voice chocked a bit, ''find Christopher.'' Mike's eyes softened at the reminder of her missing brother. Andy barely held in a scoff. Of course he forgot.

Andy held her hand out. ''Deal?'' Lucas grinned and joined hands with her, shaking twice.

''Deal.''


AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'M BACK! I know, I know, I'm actually not dead, shocker!