A/N: Apologies in advance if this chapter follows to closely to the show, I hope I made it as different as I could for these specific scenes! I do not own Stranger Things, or Netflix. Only my OC.


The tapping sunlight of the blazing star in the sky woke her bright and early, and the rays of the cold autumn morning streaked across the bedroom. El's bed was vacant, the television pulled closely to the foot of her bed still.

She yawned, rolling over on the squeaky mattress as she repositioned herself, shutting her eyes to catch a few more minutes of slumber before Hopper left for work and Eleven would nudge her awake to keep her from boredom.

Whilst her eyes were closed, she kept her ears open to the voices around her, and the sounds of cutlery hitting plates, with full mouths chewing on breakfast.

"You visited him again last night?" Hopper questioned Eleven between chomps of food.

She took a moment to reply. "He says he needs me," She sourly remarked.

"You want me to go check on him?"

A silence followed, Naomi knowing that she must've just nodded. Naomi shifted again, curling the blanket closer to her face. They must have cooled off from last night.

"I know that you miss him, all right?" He paused, "But, it's too dangerous. You're the last thing he needs right now." Not exactly the choice of words Naomi would've gone with, but she continued without disrupting the two that seemed to be getting along after last night's quarrel. "You're gonna see him, soon—and not just in that head of yours." His voice was exceptionally tender as per usual, and Naomi noted the way that he often spoke to Eleven with such gentleness, as if she was fragile; as if she would break. It was only a matter of time before she did. "You're gonna see him in real life." The optimism in his voice was tangible. "I feel like I'm making progress with these people," he exposed, emphasizing the word 'progress'.

There was a long silence that followed.

She thought that Eleven had probably dropped it and got to eating her breakfast, but just as she felt like she was going to snooze off again, Eleven spoke.

"Friends. Don't. Lie."

"What?"

Naomi shot out of bed.

"You say soon, on day 21."

Naomi stood from the bed, pulling her nightgown down and ripping the door open.

"You say soon, on day 205."

They both acknowledged her presence with a glance, but didn't remove themselves from their stare-off match that they were having at the kitchen table. Eleven glowered at Hopper, her hands gripping the wooden table, while Hopper stared at her, mystified and angry all at the same time.

"You now say soon on day 326?"

"Eleven," Naomi warned.

Eleven, who usually followed her like a puppy, worshipped her unrelated sister, was now ignoring her. She knew how stubborn the two were, and how neither of them would back down.

Hopper felt flustered, it was obvious. The blood rose to his face, and he fiddled with his uniform's pocket as he spoke back to her in an accusatory tone. "What is this? You're counting the days now like you're some kind of prisoner?"

"When is 'soon'?" She barked condemningly

Hopper shrugged, "Soon is when… it's not dangerous anymore," He avoided eye contact with her, fiddling with the button on his pouch some more.

"When?" She demanded, her hands folded together as she attempted a gentler approach.

He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself, shrugging as he sighed in defeat. "I don't know…" he exhaled in a single breath.

"On day 500?"

"I don't know."

"Eleven," She regarded the girl with furrowed brows, and Eleven just scowled at the man in front of her.

"On day 600?"

"I don't know."

"On day 700?" Her voice rose dangerously loud.

"I. Don't. Know."

"On day 800?" She slammed her palms against the table, leering towards the Chief.

"No—"

"I need to see him!"

"Eleve—"

She watched the scene spiral out of control from there. Her palms slammed the wooden table, cutlery flying off of it. The plates with eggo's and melting whip cream scattered towards Hopper, Eleven's head tipping upright labeling her as the culprit for telekinetic meltdown.

"OH! SHIT!" He looked at Eleven angrily, his hands upturned as whip cream and syrup dripped from his fingertips. A mess of chocolate and syrup coated the front of his uniform while he cursed again. "SHIT!"

Naomi watched as the creases in Eleven's forehead got tighter, and she glared at Hopper, clenched fists by her side. "Friends… don't… lie…"

She stomped away from Hopper towards the bedroom, the second she entered, her hand flew back and the door slammed shut in the blink of an eye.

Hopper and Naomi were left in silence, staring at each other bug-eyed as they reveled in what had just occurred.

Naomi stood, in her nightgown still, with her arms at her side. Her short hair was messily strewn about from her early awakening and her mouth was ajar. "I…" She didn't know what to say. She had no words.

Hopper just replaced himself back in his seat, his hands massaging his face as he let out a deep sigh.

For once, she really truly saw Hopper's side. He could see how scared he was, and how he tried to hide it under the layers of gruff and authority, but he cared for the girl like she was his own blood. She could see it was hurting him to discipline her from seeing Mike and her friends. Most off all, she could see how frustrated he was from this one-of a kind situation he had himself raveled in with this kid.

"It's not your fault,"

His head churned towards her.

"You're just trying to protect her, I get it." She spoke reassuringly, her hand reaching out to Hopper, "I do."

He groaned: a common noise that eradicated from Hopper's furry mouth. "I get where's she's coming from… I just—"

Naomi touched his hand reassuring, the pads of her fingertips frivolously grazing across his calloused knuckles. The second they made contact, the black veins snaked up her arms and she felt the sting; like she had scolded her hand on a hot pot. She recoiled immediately, and dropped her hand to her side.

Hopper was in pain.

He looked embarrassed as he wiped the food off of him with a damp cloth. He hated showing vulnerability. Obviously it wasn't physical pain; it was emotional. Naomi could tell, because often times when she took pain away from physical wounds like lacerations and punctures, she felt a hot burning sensation. It would sting as it moved from her fingertips, up her arm, and to her heart before it dissipated in her body. This was a cold pain; it made her feel numb, paralyzed even.

She walked away from the situation, not acknowledging what had just occurred and spoke as she made her way to the kitchen to make them both a cup of coffee. "I'll talk to her."

She did try to, throughout the day. Hopper left moments after that and she knocked on the door every so often to check on El. She opened it only once, to request to be left alone for a few moments, and to deliver some clothes to Naomi. She was very polite about it, but stern as well.

Naomi read and watched TV, and was mostly jaded for the bulk of the morning. She kept checking on Eleven, but it was the same as before.

She couldn't hear any noises coming from the room either; besides a few shuffles of the feet and scuffs against the hardwood. She wasn't visiting Mike; she just sat there in her room. Alone. It wasn't until around 1:30pm rolled around that she finally head from her.

The door flew open, and she stood at her presence finally.

Eleven still looked… angry. Flustered. She was upset. Her first sign of knowing these emotions was that the door had flew open from her mind. She didn't use her powers all that much, as Hopper told her to keep them on the down low in case when they did go out in public one day she wouldn't be allowed to use them. He didn't want her to make a habit out of it. Her second flag, was the glowering expression she wore as she paraded to the kitchen windows, pushing the curtains aside and raising the blinds.

"Eleven—" Naomi started, dropping her book to the coffee table as she cautiously took step towards the girl. Whatever mission she had just launched didn't look like something Hopper would approve of.

"I'm going to see Mike," She avowed as she shrugged on a green and black jacket, moving towards the door.

"Oh no you—"

"I am." El wasn't giving her a choice, it was obvious.

"Eleven."

"I went out yesterday!" She argued, barely waiting for her name to even leave Naomi's lips.

"Yes! She ridiculed, "With a white sheet covering your entire body so no one could see you."

"Mike." She said unyieldingly.

Naomi whizzed over to Eleven, just as she unlatched the six bolts, and grabbed her by the bicep. Instinctively, Eleven thrusted her head up; using her abilities to toss Naomi a few feet in the air. Her butt skidded along the floor until she met the side of the couch.

Naomi was shocked—and to be honest, she felt a bit odd. The sensation was like being dragged toward a magnet. Her body felt paralyzed, like an unseen force had pushed her. It was something she knew even her strength couldn't tackle. She wouldn't lie either, she was slightly offended by Eleven's out of character behavior today.

Naomi hadn't regretted the visit yesterday, but she was starting to question whether it was a good idea, since Eleven's knew quest to see Mike was so demanding and frontal today.

Eleven immediately flushed a bright pink, and her face softened. "I'm sorry." She apologized, her hand spread outwards towards her. Naomi took it, hoisting herself up with her hand, but not without giving her a confused scowl. "I'm sorry" she repeated, "But I'm going to see Mike." She rushed over to the door again, pausing as she made it to the frame. "Will you come with me?"

At this point, she didn't have a choice. She couldn't let her go unsupervised.

Naomi fluttered over to the coat rack, grabbing her infamous leather jacket to match her sweater and fishnets, with her black shorts on top.

She followed Eleven out the door, watching as she stepped over the trip wire Hopper and her made so long ago. She barely picked it up, but she heard Eleven mutter, "not stupid" as she planted both feet on the other side of it.

They had made it to the school, but not after a horrific encounter with a mother and her young child at the park. Eleven had gotten… agitated; distracted, maybe. She wasn't sure. She was a way's behind Eleven, giving her her needed space. She had barely lost a prospect on her. She had just started to light the head of her cigarette, when she heard a woman calling out to Eleven, asking where her parents were. Next thing you knew, Naomi was running up to catch up to her, and the swing directly behind the two people was twirling rapidly around in circles, defying gravity as the chains of the park swing were held taught against it.

The second the couple turned, Naomi swooped up Eleven; placing her on her back, and they sprinted to the school at an unfathomable speed.

Once they had made it, Naomi dropped Eleven, who was struggling to free herself from her sieze.

"What the hell was that?" She seethed at Eleven, truly feeling like an older sibling now. It reminded her of the way she used to scold Theo after stealing some of her toys.

She just frowned, brows knitting together.

Naomi exhaled deeply, "You're lucky I have freaking super-speed, kid. You have to calm down, okay? Control whatever's going on with you today."

She wasn't particularly happy about it, but she nodded, exhaling through flared nostrils.

Naomi sighed again, pulling Eleven into her side. "Come on," She muttered, feeling El start to release her taught posture as she pressed into her side, "Let's go see your Mike."

"What were you talking to her about anyways?" She continued, hand still pressed on the fore of Eleven's back as they made their way past a pair of yellow school busses.

"Asking where the school was," She answered more calmly.

"Ah,"

They walked around to the front of the school, and Naomi still kept El close to her side, afraid that if she lost sight of her again someone might steal her from her. School had been over for a good ten or fifteen minutes, at this point, and the last of the kids waiting around for rides were left in the parking lot a distance away.

"He's still here," El pointed with her right hand to the set of bikes in the bike rack along the path to the entrance.

El moved from her side to the bikes, and stood, analyzing them like they were some prized tenure. She had specifically singled out a white and silver one with long handle bars and a headlight. Naomi watched as she held her breath, her hand touching one of the bars gently. Eleven's jaw clenched, and Naomi couldn't tell if the sniffle that followed after was from the cold, or the memories that were etched in El's brain of Mike Wheeler and his bike.

"Let's go," She muttered softly, her head regarding towards the school.

Eleven nodded politely, running back to her side as they entered the school together.

"Can you pick up his scent?" She asked as they made their way up the concrete steps.

"I mean, I didn't get that great of one last night… but I could try." She shrugged.

Eleven smiled for the first time that day.

They entered the deserted halls, and Naomi shivered—memories of her middle school flushing back to her. What a normal life she had lived back then; a mother and a brother who loved her, her only problem being her D- in Math class. Little did she know she would lose everyone she loved only less than a decade later.

"Right," She instructed after picking up some sort of scent that remotely resembled the one she had smelt last night. He kind of smelt like… Honey. That was the best way for her to describe his specific aroma. She hoped she was picking up his, and not Dustin, Will, or Lucas'. "Right again."
Eleven took the pilot, walking with purpose until she made it until the next fork in the hallway. "Left," They were getting closer now. The smell was much more potent. She flared her nostrils, closing her eyes as if that would emphasize his odor.

"Right," She lead one more time, and they slowed to a stop down a hall way. It lead straight, going down a set of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a wide hallway, and to the right it opened up. If you were to go straight, you would exit out of the side door of Hawkins Middle School.

She listened for voices.

"—Lucas is our ranger, and El's our mage!" It was Mike, for sure. He was arguing with someone, by the sounds of it.

"Down there," She pointed to the only turn in the hallway.

Eleven sped ahead of her, zipping down the stairs and darting around the hallway.

Naomi followed closely behind, heeding as she observed Eleven peering through the windows into Hawkins Middle School's very own gymnasium.

"I could do that too if I spent all day practicing!"

Naomi watched as the boy stood in the center of the gym. Around him, a girl encompassed him with circles on her worn skateboard. She had long, red locks, and she recognized her to be Michael Myers from the previous night.

Mike appeared annoyed but he stifled a laugh, his head following the girl as she made rounds. The red-head was jovial as she made loops, laughing at one point.

Her eyes shifted to Eleven, who was closely pressed to the double doors and peering through the glass to see Mike. Her face was difficult to read. Her emotions were exploding like a geyser, and she studied the two in the gym with scrutiny.

Her delicate hands lifted to the frame of the windows, curling around the border as she watched with impassive eyes. With gritted teeth and a slight pout, she cocked her head to the right ever so slightly, watching the redhead fall as expected. Her board slipped from underneath her and she toppled with a light 'thud', Mike running to her side.

Naomi grabbed Eleven's arm in caution, but to be quite guileless she found the action sort of comical. Some strange form of jealousy had washed over the girl. That jealousy was quickly replaced with sorrow as Mike ran to the girl's aid, pulling her erect again.

"What happened?"

"I don't know… it was like a magnet or something was pulling on my board."

"Let's go," she stipulated with a broken voice, her arm sliding up so Naomi's hand fell into hers. She squeezed Naomi's hand, towing her down the hallway. Just before Naomi made it out of view, she saw a hopeful Mike sprinting towards them.

They took their time walking back from the school. El said nothing on the way back, and Naomi was okay with that. It was a comfortable silence. She clung to Naomi's arm, partially because with the sun setting it made everything colder, and partially because she needed someone right now.

She was close to her breaking point, and it was so obvious to her after seeing her numb state after Mike.

They trudged through the foliage, and from their spot in the trees they could see the lights from the cottage brightly lit between the spaces of vegetation.

She lit a cigarette with her free hand, placing it between her lips, and lighting it with her notorious red zippo, preparing herself for the storm that was about to ensue. She hated fighting. She absolutely despised it. Her mind drifted back to memories of her parents cursing at each other outside her and her brother's door.

She so badly wished she had a human Theodore by her side to experience this through with her.

Like El, she could only stay strong for so long, as well.

Matching her exact stature, Hopper stood on the porch, a cigarette between his lips as his uniform's hat covered his face with dancing shadows. Only his lips and chin were visible in the dim orange that lit up from the butt of his smoke.

El removed her linked arm and walked ahead of Naomi, angrily marching towards the front steps.

Hopper took a step forward as Eleven paused a few foot in front of him. His face was now visible in the yellow light of the porch lamp, and he pressed his cigarette but into the ash tray, crushing it more than necessary.

An owl hooted in the distance.

Eleven walked up the creaky steps and walked through the already ajar front door. Naomi, aggravating Hopper even more, flashed inside; only a trail of dirt flurrying behind her. Hopper blinked, and suddenly she had disappeared within.

She heard Hopper tramp after them, slamming the door with obvious agitation. "Friends don't lie. Isn't that your bullshit saying?"

Eleven acted as if he wasn't there, and paced to her room, her hand on the door ready to close it.

"Hey! Hey!" He protested, "Don't walk away from me!" He growled at her, stopping the door with his hand and slamming it back, making Naomi wince.

Naomi watched as Hopper placed one hand on the door frame, ready to interrogate the girl like he was one of his suspects. "Where'd you go on your little field trip? Huh?" He pressed.

Eleven removed her jacket, breathing greatly through flared nostrils.

Hopers chin jutted, and she could see the veins on his neck. "Where?" He repeated.

"We were at the school," Naomi sighed once Eleven had refused to answer with a shake of her head.

Hopper pivoted his stance widening. He stabbed a finger at her, "Oh I'll deal with you later," He hissed, "You don't get to speak."

"He didn't see me," she publicized, her eyes avoiding both the Chief and her.

Hopper relaxed, moving into the bedroom without looking at her. "Yeah, well, that mother and her daughter did… and they called the cops." He moved to the end of her bed, facing her with angry eyes as he gripped the footboard. "Now. Did anyone else see you… Anyone." He stressed. "Come on!" He urged after a few passing seconds. "I need you think, Eleven."

"No one saw us, Hop." Naomi answered for her. She shifted her weight as she placed her hands on her hips.

He glared at her.

"You put us in danger," He spat in disgust, starting to pace. "Both of you, you realize that, right?" His eyes darted from both girls.

Eleven jolted forward, stabbing a finger as she prepared to tear down Hoppers throat. "You promised, I go…" The last word faltered as tears started to load in her eyes. She took a second to breath, and started again, much louder, much angrier now. "And I never leave! Nothing ever happens!" She threw her hands in the air heatedly.

"YEAH!" He moved to the dresser, "Nothing ever happens and you stay SAFE!" He slammed the wooden dresser, the lamp shaking from the impact. His head fell to his palm, as white knuckles grasped the wooden frame of the dresser.

"YOU LIE!" she quarreled, leering towards him.

"I don't lie! I protect and I feed, and I teach!" He argued back. "And all I ask of you is three simple rules…. Three rules. AND NEITHER OF YOU CAN DO EVEN THAT!" He turned to Naomi this time, and she visibly saw split flying from his mouth as he growled at her.

Naomi watched Eleven's face contort in displeasure.

Naomi was at a loss for words. Her emotions overflowed like a dam, and all she could do was speak what was on her mind. "What did you expect Hopper?" She gestured towards the door, "Keep here for five years or so until everyone forgets? Until her hair grows out? Until no one recognizes her anymore?"

"No one is asking you to stay here, Naomi!" He bickered back.

She could feel her eyes flare a bright red, and she lips pulled together in a white line.

"You were supposed to keep her safe!" He was yelling so stridently that his voice started to crack, and he took threatening steps towards her. "All I asked of you was to keep her safe!"

She shrunk back, anger fueling her like a fiery rage in the pit of her stomach. "I had no choice, Hopper!"

"You're an adult, Naomi! Act like one."

The words struck a chord in her, and as he started to pace away from her, she whizzed in front of him, stopping him from inflowing the kitchen with a wide stance.

"Put your freaking fangs away and act like a human being for once." She hadn't noticed the shift, but she could feel the heat from underneath her eyes as veins snaked down them, and she could feel the burning sensation of her gums as her fangs came back into place.

"Don't speak to me like that." She said with a slight lisp from her fangs. "You can't just use her to replace the hole in your heart, Hopper." She had said that line another time they fought, and she meant it.. She stabbed a finger in his chest, and it was one of the first times Hopper had realized her brute strength, as he rubbed his sternum as he hissed in a breath.

"I asked you one thing." He tried to speak with a calmer demeanor, but she could read him all too well. She knew he was exploding inside. "I asked you one thing and you fuck that up, too."

She shoved him square in the chest, sending him back a few steps.

She immediately regretted the action, as he bounced back filled with even more rage. "Why are you here," He chuckled, his head shaking as if it was the most comical thing he had seen. "I mean, I just don't get it."

"You asked me to stay, Hopper."

"Yeah well, I change my mind," He grumbled as he moved past her to the fridge. "You're grounded, Eleven." He spoke louder, so she could hear from the bedroom. "You know what that means? It means no Eggos—" He tore boxes out of the fridge and Naomi watched as they clattered to the floor, the frozen contents spilling out. "And no TV," He barred towards the television, and El emerged from the bedroom. "For a week," He placed his hands on either side of the television rack, and shook it. It didn't budge, so he tried again.

Eleven dropped both her hands to her side, spreading her fingers out, and she lowered her head. Blood dripped from her one nostril, as usual, and she glowered at him.

"All right, knock it off. Let go."

She shook her head slowly.

He shook it again, grunting.

"Okay, two weeks."

He tried to lift it again, but to no avail, it didn't dislodge. "Let go," She could see he was losing his patience with her.

Again, she shook her head.

"A month!"

"No," She said very clearly.

He started to pant, "Well, congratulations. You just graduated from no TV for a month, to no TV at all!" He spat the last word, as he yanked the cable from the socket and a loud buzzing noise emitted throughout the room.

"NO!" She screamed. She ran over to the television, as Hopper paced away, and started fiddling with the antennas as she yelled to herself. "No! No… NO!"

"You have got to understand that there are consequences for your actions—"

She spun around, her brown waves swirling around her head as her brows fell down the bridge of her nose in pure fury. "YOU are like PAPA!"

He chuckled again, leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom now. "Really, huh. I'm like that psychotic son of a bitch?" The room stenched like pure anger. The temperature in the room rose a few degrees, and it wasn't from the lit fireplace in the corner of the room. "Wow! All right, you wanna go back in the lab? One phone call… I can make that happen."

"I hate you," She stabbed a finger in the air, her jaw clenching and unclenching as the blood dripped further down her nose and onto her lip.

"Yeah, well, I'm not so crazy about the both of you."

"She lets me go!" Eleven's finger moved to Naomi's direction, and Naomi felt herself shrink, as if she tried to make herself invisible.

"Yeah well she doesn't know what's good for you! If she really cared she wouldn't let you meander through the whole town!" He screamed. His thunderous voice shook the house, making Naomi shiver. "I decide what's best round here. Frankly, I think she's making things worse."

Eleven just stared at him in disgust.

"People are hunting her for a reason, Eleven."

"STOP IT!" Naomi screamed at him. Although, he was only speaking the truth and that's what frustrated her more than anything.

Eleven gave Naomi a faulty stare. She almost looked… angry. The room was so heated right now that she really couldn't read anyone. She was just so overpowered with anger; hers and there's. Her lips tightened into a thin line, and she started to stomp towards her room.

"HEY!" Hopper protested.

She froze.

"Stop acting like a brat! You wanna go out into the real world? You better grow the hell up, kid."

She cocked her head, fists clenched by her side.

"How about that be your word of the day? Huh? Brat." He moved to the bookshelf, pulling the dictionary out. Why don't we look it up? B-R-A-T. Brat." He tossed the book towards her, and it stopped mid air, Eleven's hand flying up as the book levitated. She curled her lips over her teeth, and pushed her hand out, the book flying towards Hopper.

He swatted it away. "Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?" He lunged towards her, but Eleven moved the couch, knocking into Hopper's thigh, sending him toppling sideways towards the cushions. He grunted. "Hey!"

She started towards the bedroom again.

"HEY!"

She slammed the door shut with the flick of a wrist, but not before sending the bookshelf hurdling to the floor with a strident crash.

"Open this door!" He slammed his palms against it, but she didn't give way.

Naomi let out a small breath of air, one that could've been mistaken for a laugh, and Hopper spun around, his body heaving breaths as his shoulders rose and fell with each inhale.

"I can't do it anymore," He started towards her, meeting her in the middle of the living room. "I'm done stealing blood bags; I'm done worrying all day wondering if you two have gotten yourself into some sort of danger."

That sentence had an infliction of care somewhere in there, but she ignored it.

"I never asked you to do that stuff!" She shrieked.

He said nothing in return, just stared at her in disbelief.

"What was I here for then?" She raised her brows, her hands flying up. "Huh? Just a babysitter? Someone to watch Eleven and make you a pot of coffee every morning? Pay me in blood bags and the occasional pat on the back?"

He shook his head, "That's not how it was—"

"Then how was it? What went through your mind that first day I showed up on your doorstep?"

"I saved you!" He argued.

"I know!" She yelled, "That wasn't my question," she gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

He opened his mouth, but only a few gibberish words came out. "I don't—"

"Then why am I here, Hop?"

She pushed past him, her shoulder hitting his. She lifted the bottom of the couch, pushing it to the side to grab her only belonging—the backpack she had brought on the very first night. She had hid it there, and they all knew it was there. She didn't know why she hid it; but it felt private to her, her only real belonging beside her fishnets and her jacket. She reached into her pocket, removing the zippo and her last three smokes, and zipped it into the front pocket. She picked the pack up, and froze as she tightened the strap around her shoulder.

A piece of paper had slipped through the floor boards; and the more she focused, the more she could see a distinct outline of a removable meter of wood underneath the couch. She pushed the couch back further, despite Hopper's protests.

There was a storage area, a padlock locking it.

She flipped the piece of paper and saw the exact same photo that was in Hopper's junk drawer. Terry Ives and the familiar looking woman behind her. It was a photocopied article, and Naomi's hand lifted to her mouth as she read what was on it.

It was concerning but she tossed it to the side, and turned back to the floorboard.

She kneeled to the floor, her hands grasping the lock.

"Nao—"

She held up a finger, and crushed the lock with other hand. She tossed it towards Hopper, and watched as he stared at it in disbelief as it slid to his boots.

She opened the floorboard up, and the first thing she saw was a box with the name 'Ives' on it.

Her head whipped up to Hopper.

"She's alive isn't she?" She whispered to him, angry tears filling her eyes. "Her mother."

"It's not like that Naom—"

"What's it like then, Hop?" She slammed the door shut again, replacing the couch with her brute strength as she shoved the loose piece of paper in her backpack. "Huh?"

He shook his head, speaking quieter. "She's not well. She's mute. Her mental health it's…"

"You couldn't tell her that?"

"Not yet."

"Hop…" She gave him a broken look, and he almost looked guilty. Almost. She let out a loud sigh, and whizzed over to the counter, pulling out a piece of paper towel and a marker since she couldn't hunt down paper. "Well, that's your problem now, Hop."

"Nay…" He muttered, flashing her back to memories of her and her brother, and the name he so infamously used for her.

"Don't…." Tears had betrayed her struggle, and they poured over the brims of her eyelid, falling down her face, and dropping down her chin before they fell to the floor with a silent splash. "Don't call me that."

He shot her a confused glance. "I'm just angry, okay? I'm frustrated." He had tried to soften his voice, bargain with her, but it was too late. He had to learn that there were consequences for his actions; his words.

She had scribbled quickly (and messily) onto the paper towel, signing her name at the bottom. She tossed the marker across the table and stomped over to Eleven's room.

"Naomi!" He hissed. "Don't. Don't you fucking leave."

"Isn't that what you want?" She growled back angrily, confusion blossoming across her face. "You're right, Hop! I overstayed my welcome. All that stuff you said about staying- even long after you were gone, was bullshit. The promises? Bullshit. You need to figure yourself out, Hopper. I love both of you. I do. I can't stay here anymore though, it was wrong. It was wrong to pretend that I could fit in with you two, it was wrong to believe we had some sort of wayward family." The rage was coming back now, and she was shrieking at him, stabbing fingers and stomping her feet as she spoke, and it wasn't making Hopper happy. "I should never have come. I was being selfish, wanting her and you. I'm no good for either of you. This is not some fucking pity party; either. You said it yourself. You're right—I can't protect her. I can't protect anyone. That's why I'm better off alone. I always have been." She wiped her nose with her jacket sleeve. "This was a mistake."

She slipped the piece of paper towel underneath the door, and started for kitchen

"Fine!" He yelled, "Then go! If that's what you want, then go."

"I will!" She cried, pulling the last two bags of blood from the fridge and shoving them into her backpack. She paced towards the door, her combat boots creaking against the aged floor.

"Don't expect an open door when you start feeling sorry for yourself." He shook his head, pressing his tongue into the side of his cheek.

"You know, I never disagreed with your rules for her. Maybe at first, but I truly believed that you were trying to keep her safe, I do." She clenched her teeth together, "All I was saying was that she needed freedom every once in a while. Compromise. Isn't that your bullshit saying?"

"Just go," He rubbed his jaw, shaking his head as he scuffed his foot angrily against the floorboards. "GO!" he screamed.

She could hear a growing scream coming from the bedroom, and everything happened so promptly after that.

Her scream grew, and grew, and kept cultivating until the resonance blew from her ears and it sounded like she was submerged underwater. She turned towards Hopper, and she could hear the rising pitch in Eleven's shriek. She covered her ears, sprinting towards Hop as she watched the crack line appear in the windows. The fractures spread like a spider web, and she used her last remaining seconds to throw her arms around a cowering Hopper, hands over his own ears. She defended him from the exploding glass that followed and felt the shards strike her back seconds later.

When her hearing had come back a few seconds afterward, she stumbled back, groaning from the tenderness.

Hopper turned to her in disbelief, his hair wildly disheveled upon his head from the blow.

Eleven's telekinetic tantrum left the cabin a dangerous mess, and glass still fell from the windows with a light 'tink' as they hit the floor.

"Naomi—" he started, looking at the shards of glass that were embedded in her body.

He heaved a breath, and tears had started to come to his eyes now.

"No." That was all she could muster up to say. "No." she repeated exhaustedly, grabbing her backpack from its previous spot in the floor. She took one last look at the closed bedroom door, Hopper's somber face, and the mess of her home for the past year, and ran out the door.

She didn't know where she was running to- she just ran. She hadn't been so lost for a destination in a long time. She had spent her past year with her wayward family. She had spent a year in peace—a year without worrying. It was too good to be true, and she was being selfish. She would only put them both in danger, anyways. Hopper was right—in the end. Eleven needed to be protected. She could've gotten caught today. She hated to admit it, but damn. Hopper was right.

The wind brushed past her features, stinging her face as cold tears started to fly horizontally on her cheeks.

The pain of the glass embedded into her skin had started to numb. The pain in her heart was so much worse. It was so cliché, but she could feel her heart tear in two the second her foot lifted from that last porch step.

She hated herself. She would've saved herself a world of pain if she had never crawled to their help that cold winter day.

The rain had started to pick up, and minutes later; she was soaking wet from the impeding storm. The thunder reminded her of Eleven, the time she taught her the trick with the lightning.

She weaved through trees, roaming the woodland floor like she so commonly knew them after spending months surrounded by them. Her breathing was restless and sporadic; despite not needing the oxygen. Her footsteps were an even cadence with the pitter-patter of the heavy rainfall. It drowned out the sounds of the usual nightly beasts, and all she could hear around her was dripping water and her boots squishing into fresh mud.

Despite her usually quick reflexes, her boot had caught on a root, and she was sent toppling to the floor.

She didn't care that she was cold, she didn't care that she was muddy. She didn't care that she was on the ground, or that it was the middle of the night.

She was lost—something she hadn't felt in a long time.

She gripped the woodland ground and screamed. She screamed, and screamed, and screamed, until there was no voice left within her.


A/N: Thanks for reading, all! Please let me know your thoughts, and feel free to give me a PM. Where do you think she will head on from here? I have an awesome plan as a way for her to tie in with the other characters, and you'll be meeting a favorite next chapter!

Mserrada: Thanks! I think lol

S: Thank you so much!

gamby004: Thank you so much! I love hearing feedback. As a matter of fact, I am! I don't want to stray to far from the story line though, as it is a stranger things fanfiction. But I will incorporate some more of Naomi's background.

Drop a review and I'll reply next chapter!

Thanks a ton!