It'd been nearly a week since a demon possessed Valerie's body, and nothing had gotten better with her. Sure, Will was back home and recovering from spending months in the other world. It was something he refused to talk about even with me, and I didn't pester him about it. I knew he'd talk about it when he was ready to. For now, I tried to keep him occupied with other things as best I could. But I knew he changed. I mean, who wouldn't after having gone through what he did? I could only imagine half of what he went through in that other world.

I let the boys hang out at my house as much as I could to keep Will occupied while I spent a big portion of my days at Valerie's home to watch over her and make sure she didn't hurt herself. This demon, it was a real bad one. It made Valerie hurt her own body, and she needed to be restrained with ropes. It was terrible to see her like that, but it was the only way from hurting herself or worse killing herself.

I barely ever had any energy left at the end of each day, spending it all on Will and Valerie to make sure they were well. It was easier to help Will because he had his friends, but taking care of Valerie was tough. She'd say the nastiest things to me in that demonic voice, and seconds later the demon would let her back into her body for a couple of seconds to just toy with her and me. She'd cry and scream for me to help her, begging for me to save her. And right then the demon would take over again and spit in my face.

Valerie's dad told me not to take anything personally, that demons were meant to stir doubt in one's faith. I couldn't help but feel like we were bonding during this time, Val's dad and I. All of us were actually. Her dad, uncle, me, Nancy, and Steve. We all took turns taking care of Valerie, and I offered to help the most along with her dad. We all cared for Valerie and prayed for her every single day that she'd come back to us.

The doctors Valerie's dad called finally arrived, and there were two of them: Dr. Victor Frankenstein and Dr. Henry Jekyll. Valerie's dad introduced us all, and I shook the doctors' hands. "So, how is she?" Frankenstein asked to the dad.

"Bad. It's like what happened to Vanessa," he whispered.

"That bad?"

"Very."

"Alright, well I brought everything I need. She'll fight it, just like her mother. Have faith."

*Valerie's POV*

Hell. It was a perpetual vicious cycle of happiness and bliss yet pain and extreme loneliness. I had everything I wanted in Hell. I lived out my childhood happily, stayed in Hawkins and didn't have the curse of the wolf. My mother and father were together, happy and loving. And it all happened just to remind me that none of it was real. It was what could've been in a parallel universe, but not the one I belonged in and knew to be real.

And now here I was in a beautiful home. A little girl ran into the room laughing with joy, and she hopped onto my lap. "Mommy, can you finish the story about the doggies?" I looked at this little girl, and she looked so familiar.

"What did daddy say?" I asked with a smile.

"He said he's going to feed Ethan first."

"Already done." I looked up and saw Jonathan there holding a little baby boy with dark raven hair like mine. I looked at Jonathan and tears formed in my eyes. He smiled awkwardly yet confidently, and he kissed me on the lips sweetly. "Everything okay? You look kinda out of it."

"N-no...I-I'm alright. Everything's fine," I replied and looked into his eyes. It was real. This was real...or it felt so real. But it couldn't be.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He smiled at me and our baby boy burped. We laughed together, all of us, and it felt so wrong. This wasn't making sense. I knew this wasn't meant to be, it was just a deep desire of mine. I knew this wasn't what I was destined for. This happy lifestyle, this blissful family, it wasn't meant for me. I didn't belong in that kind of world. I had a much darker road ahead of me, one that was a curse running in my blood. "I...I'm just gonna go get a glass of water. I'll be right back."

I left the living room and headed to the kitchen. I couldn't stop the tears, trying my best to break out of this torture. Just then, there was a loud bang in the living room. And another. I ran into the living room and screamed at what I saw. Jonathan was holding a gun and had shot our son and daughter dead. "Now it's just you and me, Val," Jonathan said to me looking right at me.

"No," I whimpered. Jonathan slowly pointed the gun at me, and before he could pull the trigger, two pairs of hands ripped right through his chest. It ripped Jonathan apart in half like tissue paper, and blood and organs spilled everywhere. I froze in shock and disgust, staring at the monster that did this. And there was the faceless monster again looking right at me.

I was tired of fighting, tired of all these hallucinations and delusions I was suffering through in this wretched world. I fell on my knees and did the only thing I knew how to do well: pray. I prayed my heart and tongue out in Latin, versing every single prayer and verse I knew from the Bible. I prayed and prayed for God to save me from Hell, and then I heard a voice. "Val. Valerie, wake up." It was Jonathan! "Open your eyes, Valerie."

The monster roared, and I saw it about to lunge at me. But I was protected by some kind of invisible shield. The monster couldn't get near me. It tried and tried but couldn't move any closer towards me. The darkness faded into bright light, and I had to shut my eyes to shield myself from the light...

I opened my eyes wide open, and I couldn't move my body. It felt so heavy and I was in great pain. "Val!" Jonathan, my dad, Dr. Frankenstein, and Dr. Jekyll surrounded me with wide eyes and shock mixed with relief. "Val, you're awake!"

"Baby, can you hear me?" my dad asked. I couldn't respond. I couldn't believe I wasn't in Hell anymore. I was back, and it was all because of the power of God.

"Daddy," I whispered weakly. "I'm back."

"Come. Let's give them some privacy," Dr. Frankenstein suggested. I watched him, Dr. Jekyll, and Jonathan leave. He looked back at me, and I looked back at him. He smiled, relieved I was at least awake, and he closed the door behind him.

"You should rest, Val. You went through hell."

"Yeah." My dad couldn't understand how right and literal his statement was. "Can you bring in Jonathan, dad? I want to talk to him."

"Sure. But you need to get some sleep after, all right?"

"Okay." My dad kissed me on the forehead and left to get Jonathan. A few seconds after, I saw him enter my room. He smiled again, and closed the door behind him. He walked towards me, and I couldn't help but start crying. I was so glad to see him alive and well instead of in two pieces having been ripped apart by the monster. Jonathan sat beside me and held my hand.

"Hey," he said to me simply.

"Hey. Will?"

"He's home recovering. He hasn't gone back to school yet though. He wanted to visit, but I told him not to. I didn't...you know, want him to get scared."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"You woke me up. Your voice...it brought me back."

"It did?" Jonathan was surprised that he helped bring me back from Hell. "Guess it was meant to be." He played with my hand gently and shyly. I smiled and tried to squeeze his hand, and he felt it. Jonathan intertwined our fingers and held my hand firmly. "I'm glad you're back, Val."

"Stay with me," I whispered looking into his eyes.

"I will." He looked into my eyes, and I wanted to kiss him so badly. I wished he would lie in bed with me to hold me in his arms, but I was too weak to do anything. "You know, winter vacation is in 2 weeks. And the Winter Ball is this Friday."

"Winter Ball?"

"Yeah, it's like this school dance. You know...if you're feeling up to it, if you can, I mean, you don't have to...well...do you, uh...wanna go with me?"

"I'd love to." A knock came on my door, and Nancy poked her head in. She entered my room and so did Steve. He closed the door behind him, and they came over to my side. Nancy stayed on the other side of me and held my other hand.

"Oh, Val." Nancy started crying, sobbing for me and what I went through. All her bottled up emotions came spilling out.

"You okay, Valerie?" Steve asked for Nancy.

"Getting better," I replied. He smiled, and I smiled back. I didn't forget that Steve was the one who tried to protect me by throwing rocks at Barb. He saved my life. And there the 4 of us were, me listening to everything that had happened since the demon possessed my body, and Nancy and Steve did most of the talking. Nancy did more of the what-happened part while Steve painted the picture with his illustrious adjectives and acting skills. I couldn't help but laugh at times, and it felt good. Having this friendship with Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve felt right, and I knew I was blessed. God sent such great friends to me to help me on my journey, and I knew a beautiful friendship was blossoming between us all.

I looked at some of my mother's dresses I brought back from Sir Malcolm's chateau back in London. I picked one elegant gown, and I changed into it. It was the day of the Winter Ball, and I wanted to look glamorous for Jonathan. This feeling, I feel like I've felt it before. Maybe not in my lifetime, but maybe in a different lifetime. These butterflies felt familiar, and it was all because of Jonathan.

We barely were even friends, having really spent a couple of days together since we first met. But the times we spent together were always life-changing and eye-opening that it seemed like we knew each other since forever, maybe in other lifetimes. A knock came on my door, and my dad peeked inside. "Wow," he said with a big smile. "You're beautiful, Val."

"Thanks, dad," I smiled shyly. "You know, I'm a little scared."

"Aw, don't be, sweetheart," he said and hugged me. "You'll be the belle of the ball."

"Pf," I chortled and hugged my dad back.

"If it makes you feel any better, Jonathan is just as scared as you are. I could smell it on that boy." We both laughed, and my dad took a better look at me.

"Your mother always had good taste in dresses." I smiled.

"I wish I knew mom. I mean...I wish she could be here with us."

"I wish so, too. Well, c'mon. Jonathan's waiting." I nodded, and my dad walked me out of my room to Jonathan in the living room. He was there in a humble suit, but he was so handsome in my eyes. The way we looked at each other, it must've touched my dad making him think back to the times when he was with my mother.

"Wow," Jonathan said exasperated by my beauty. I smiled shyly and flushed. "You're beautiful."

"Thanks. You look good too," I replied.

"Remember, Jonathan, I want her home before midnight, alright?"

"You got it, sir," he replied. Jonathan then held my hand, and I looked back at my dad.

"Bye, dad."

"Bye, Val. Love you."

"Love you too." Jonathan and I walked out of my house, and he opened the door to his car for me. I smiled and got in, and he drove us to school. He parked in the lot, and we sat in there for a bit. I could hear the music from the lot, and the dance was close by in the gym.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Can we...just sit for a while?"

"Sure." We sat quietly for a while, and Jonathan could sense something was wrong. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I...I'm just glad to be here with you." We smiled at each other, and I leaned in for a kiss. He leaned in too, and we kissed each other sweetly. I broke the kiss, still haunted by the images I saw in Hell especially the one where Jonathan split in half. I just wanted to spend as much time with him before leaving for London for winter vacation. Though I tried to act normal, I couldn't be. Not after having gone to Hell and back. I was haunted and had nightmares every night. It was something no one could help me with, not even Jonathan. I needed to go to London to find my mother for help, and my dad supported my decision. He gave my mother's location to me and helped me book a flight for the day right after the Winter Ball. "Jonathan. Let's go."

We got out of the car together and made our way to the gym hand-in-hand. We entered, and it was exciting for me to see the scenery. The dance floor, the drinks, the mingling. And there I saw Nancy and Steve together. They smiled at us, and we walked towards them. We greeted each other and grabbed a table together. "So you're not hanging out with Tommy and Carol anymore?" I asked Steve.

"Nah, forget them," Steve said disregarding those two. "Hey, who wants some shots?" Steve smiled sneakily and brought out his flask from his suit.

"Steve!" Nancy yelped seeing it and playfully slapping his arm.

"Hey, we gotta have some fun, right? Val, want some?"

"I'm okay," I refused.

"Aw, c'mon. Don't be a party pooper," Steve whined cutely and pouted jokingly. I smiled and looked at Jonathan. He nodded, wanting me to have fun. I rolled my eyes and took a small sip. I coughed after swallowing the alcohol. I've had alcohol before, especially wine, but this was just too strong. "Strong, huh? It's my dad's." Steve then took a sip and offered Jonathan some.

"I can't. I gotta drive," Jonathan refused.

"Ah, you got a couple of hours before the dance is done."

"No, I'm good."

"Ah, alright," Steve said knowing he wasn't going to convince Jonathan. I smiled at Jonathan.

"Hey, we're gonna go dance," I said to Nancy and Steve. I led Jonathan to the dance floor, and I had a great time dancing with him. He wasn't a very good dancer, and I loved it when he tried to be silly. It made me laugh so hard, and I enjoyed every moment with him. And I especially loved it when the music slowed down for a love song.

"I-I don't know how to dance to this," Jonathan confessed shyly.

"Don't worry. Just follow my lead." I made him put one hand on my waist and the other in my hand. "Always look in my eyes. Don't look down at your feet."

"But what if I step on you?"

"Try not to," I smiled. He nodded nervously, and I led the dance. He looked in my eyes but couldn't help but look down. And he stepped on my foot. "Ow."

"Sorry!"

"It's fine," I laughed. "I told you not to look down."

"Y-yeah," he replied embarrassed. Jonathan looked back into my eyes, and we danced to a beautiful love song. I was moved by the song and just looking into Jonathan's face as we danced. Tears formed in my eyes just thinking about how I had to leave him for winter vacation. I wished I could bring him with me, but this was a personal journey I needed to do alone.

But at this moment with Jonathan, life just felt so divine. It felt like the world didn't matter, just as long as I was with him. I suppose that's how my mother felt about my dad, and that's why she couldn't live with us. Jonathan could see something was in the back of my head. He already knew me too well and could read me like a child's book.

Without a word to him, I let go of the dance and held onto his hand. I looked back at him as I led the way out of the gym. I didn't want to be at the dance anymore. We left the dance without a word and got into Jonathan's car. "Want to go somewhere?" he asked.

"Doesn't matter. Just as long as it's us." Jonathan started up the car and he drove off towards the beach. He parked his car in the empty lot overlooking the beach, and we could hear the waves crashing. I looked at Jonathan, and he looked back at me. Passion filled both our hearts, and we immediately leaned in for a heated kiss. Our tongues played with one another and I wanted to be close to Jonathan's body.

I slowly broke the kiss but kept my gaze on Jonathan. I slowly got out of the passenger's seat and went into the backseat, and Jonathan followed. He sat right next to me in the back, and we took a moment to look into each other's eyes. We kissed again, and it got hot in the car. One thing led to the next, and things moved too fast. I couldn't stop this desire to be with Jonathan, to let him inside me.

I sat on his lap and kissed him, fiddling with my dress to signal to him I wanted more. He broke the kiss and we were both breathless. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked looking into my eyes.

"Yes," I whispered and kissed his neck lovingly. He moaned quietly and held me tight. I moved my hands down to his pants and unzipped it. It was my first time ever, and it was his first time, too. It hurt a lot in the beginning, but as we moved our bodies together it felt better. Jonathan was now on top pleasing me beyond anything I ever knew, and I felt his pace speeding up. It only exacerbated my pleasure, and we came together. He made sure to pull out before finishing, and it spilled on the floor of his car.

We both pulled up our undergarments and we sat up in the back seat. Jonathan wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in close as he tried regaining his normal breathing pattern. I tried to calm my body too, and I held onto Jonathan tightly loving him more than before. The way we made love tonight, it was absolutely magnificent and exhilarating. It was surreal and nothing I ever felt before, a kind of pleasure that only he could give me both physically and emotionally. "Jonathan," I whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I'm leaving for London tomorrow." He backed away a little so that he could look into my face.

"What?"

"I'm going to be in London for winter vacation," I answered looking into his eyes. "I need to find my mother."

"...how long will you be there?"

"The whole vacation. Maybe longer. I don't know."

"Is that why you were a little tense all night?"

"Yeah."

"You could've told me sooner." He held my hand warmly. "Be safe there. And if you need to talk, just write me. Or call me." I smiled and kissed Jonathan sweetly.

"I will. I'll write to you every day. Thank you for understanding."

I arrived in London by myself with my one suitcase, and I took a taxi towards the countryside. I got off at the 3rd village we came by, and I had to make the rest of my trip by a horse carriage. And there, up ahead, I saw a little cottage in the middle of nowhere surrounded by grass and a lonely tree. I stopped the carriage a few yards away from the place, and I paid the driver. I got out of the carriage with my suitcase and stared at the little house.

The door opened, and I saw a young woman exit the house. She looked to be maybe in her early 30's like my father. Even though he was very very old, he looked like he was in his early 30's. The woman looked right at me, and I approached her cautiously. I could see her face from this distance, and it was the same face of my mother in my dreams. I knew it had to be her. She started walking slowly towards me, and we looked at each other. "Mom?" I asked.

"Valerie." She smiled and tears rolled down her eyes.