All too soon it was time for Eleven to go into the small kid's pool, as Karmen watched on, anxiously. She was worried that they were pushing her too far…but Will and Barb's lives were at stake.

"If it get's too much, just say. We won't be mad" Karmen informed Eleven, as she helped her into the pool.

"Okay" Eleven nodded, as she looked upright and began to float.

Almost immediately all the lights in the gym turned off, as everything became dark around them. Nothing happened for a few minutes, as they all waited with baited breath for Eleven to find something. However, Karmen noticed her breathing started to become heavy, as the lights above them flickered.

"What's going on?" Nancy queried.

"I don't know" Mike admitted.

"Is Barb okay? Is she okay?" Nancy called out to her.

"Don't Nancy, you might-" Karmen started, but she was cut off by Eleven's cry.

"Gone…gone. Gone" Eleven kept repeating, as Nancy gasped.

Karmen felt tears well up in her eyes as she realised what that meant. Barb was gone. She had been so kind to her, a real friend. And she was gone.

"It's okay, it's okay!" Joyce exclaimed, as she placed her hand on Eleven's shoulders.

Karmen bit back her tears and gripped onto Eleven's hand, knowing she needed to be strong.

"Eleven. Listen to me. You're okay. Just stay calm. You need to breathe" Karmen tried to soothe her, as Eleven held tightly onto her hand.

"We're all here with you. You're not alone" Karmen insisted, as Eleven's grip started to lessen.

"…Castle Byers" Eleven murmured, as Karmen shared a look with Jonathan.

"Will?" Eleven asked, a moment later.

"Tell him I'm coming. Mum is coming" Joyce cried, overjoyed.

Karmen felt herself let out a shaky breath, glad that he was alive. She couldn't bear anyone else dying.

"Your mum…she's coming for you" Eleven exclaimed.

"Hurry" They heard a faint response through the radio.

"Listen. You tell him to stay where he is. We're coming. We're coming, honey" Joyce stuttered.

"Just hold on a little longer. Will…Will!" Eleven frowned.

"Will? Will!" She screamed.

"Eleven, come back to us. Come back!" Karmen ordered, as Eleven suddenly shot upright.

"Hey, it's okay. I've got you. You're okay now" Karmen said, as she hugged Eleven to her, who was still holding onto her arm.

Hopper and Joyce decided to go back to the government building and try to get Will out that way. Karmen walked out of the gym, feeling that Eleven was safe enough to leave with the boys and saw Nancy and Jonathan talking on the floor. She felt her heart sink for a moment, but quickly shook her head. It wasn't important.

"I want to finish what we started. I want to kill it" She heard Nancy announce.

"I'm coming to" Karmen informed them, as she walked over.

"It's dangerous" Jonathan told her.

"Which is why I'm coming" She retorted.

"What about the kids?" Nancy inquired, as she bit her lip.

"Hold that thought" Karmen exclaimed, as she walked back into the gym.

"Guys, I need you all to stay here. We're going back to the Byers place to stop that thing" Karmen told them.

"We'll come too" Mike replied, standing up.

"Hell no. You're all going to stay here and keep safe until this is all over" Karmen ordered.

"But we want to help" Dustin stated.

"You'll be more of a distraction if you come, that's the truth of it" Karmen explained, as the boys sighed.

"Will you come back?" Eleven asked.

"Of course. I'm not leaving you again" Karmen insisted, as she knelt in front of Eleven.

"But what if it gets you? Like Barb" Eleven retorted.

"If we don't do this it's going to kill Will. And probably Joyce and Hopper" Karmen went on.

"You're leaving us pretty defenceless here" Lucas interjected.

"No one knows you here. As long as you keep quiet, and stay smart, you'll be okay" Karmen said to them all.

"Promise you'll come back" Eleven mumbled.

"I promise" Karmen smiled at her, before pulling her into a hug.

"You act like you're her mum" Nancy suggested, as they finished setting up the trap.

"She doesn't remember her mum…so I guess I took on the role" Karmen shrugged.

"Do you remember your mum?" Nancy inquired.

"Yeah" Karmen nodded, sadly.

"Hey, I'm all finished" Jonathan stated, holding up the bats he had bashed some nails into.

"This is a terrible plan" Karmen sighed.

"You can leave if you want to" Jonathan told her.

"No. I want to kill this thing. Bad" Karmen replied.

"Remember-" Jonathan started.

"Straight into Will's room. And-" Nancy went on.

"Don't step on the trap" Jonathan cut her off.

"Wait for the yo-yo to move. Then…" Nancy trailed off, as Jonathan held up his lighter.

"Wow, you guys are even finishing each other's sentences" Karmen mumbled, as Nancy blushed.

"…Okay. You ready?" Jonathan asked them both, holding the knife out.

"Ready" Nancy nodded.

"Yeah" Karmen agreed.

"On the count of three. One. Two...You don't have to do this" Jonathan announced when he saw the look on Nancy's face.

"Jonathan stop talking" Nancy shook her head.

"I'm just saying you don't have to-" Jonathan was cut off.

"Three!" Karmen exclaimed, as they all cut into their hands.

Karmen watched from the kitchen as Nancy finished bandaging Jonathan's wound, as they spoke in soft voices. She noticed the way Nancy's hand lingered on Jonathan's hand, and how he looked at her. Karmen let out a sigh, wondering how she hadn't seen it coming. She jumped when there was a loud knocking at the door.

"Jonathan?" They heard a familiar voice shout.

Karmen frowned as she walked towards the door, confused as to why Steve had suddenly shown up.

"Are you there, man? It's…It's Steve! Listen, I just want to talk" Steve called out, as he continued banging.

"Steve, listen to me" Karmen announced, as she opened the door before Jonathan or Nancy could.

"Hey…Karmen. What are you doing here?" Steve questioned.

"Jesus, Steve. Your face…" Karmen trailed off, as she looked at the numerous bruises and cuts on the left side of his face.

"You should see the other guy" Steve joked.

"You need to leave" Karmen informed him.

"No, I'm not trying to start anything. I swear. I just want to talk" Steve insisted.

"This is not a good time. Just go, okay?" Karmen asked.

"No, no. Listen, I messed up, okay? I messed…I messed up" Steve sighed, as Karmen saw the clear guilt on his face.

"Please…I just want to make things right. Please…" Steve trailed off, when he noticed her hand.

She had forgotten that she hadn't bandaged it up yet and that meant it was still bleeding.

"Hey, what happened to your hand? Is that blood?" Steve questioned, in a soft tone.

He grasped her hand in his and he turned it over to see the cut that was there, as she saw his eyes darken.

"It's nothing. It was an accident" Karmen shook her head, as she pulled her hand away.

"What's going on?" Steve frowned at her odd behaviour.

"Nothing" Karmen replied.

"Wait a second. Did he do this to you?" Steve questioned.

"No. Steve, just go" Karmen stated, as Steve started to try to push past her.

"Karmen, let me in" He exclaimed, as he pushed past her and made his way into the room.

"What did you do…" Steve trailed off, as he saw the state of the room.

"What is all this? What's going on?" Steve cried, as he saw the bat on the table.

"You need to get out of here" Jonathan warned him, as he grabbed him by the collar.

"What…what is that smell? Is that gasoline?" Steve accused.

"I'm not asking you, just get out of here!" Jonathan told him.

"Steve, get out!" Nancy shouted, holding the gun up, as Jonathan backed away.

"Wait, what? What is going on?!" Steve yelled, in shock.

"You have five seconds to get out of here" Nancy informed him.

"Okay, is this a joke? Put the gun down!" Steve pleaded.

"I'm doing this for you" She replied.

"Nancy, you could shoot him, for God's sake! Put the bloody gun down!" Karmen cried, as her accent slipped for the first time and they all turned to stare at her.

"…Your English?" Steve frowned at Karmen, as Nancy lowered the gun in surprise.

"That's what you think is the craziest thing about all this?" Karmen retorted.

"Guys!...It's here!" Jonathan announced, as they noticed the fairly lights flickering.

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! We'll slowly see a friendship develop with Karmen and Steve, as Jonathan falls head over heels for Nancy. Please leave a review:)

uNICOrnDIANGELO: Aw, I'm glad you like the sound of their relationship! Thank you so much for this review:)

zaneri0t: Sorry about that, but I do ship Nancy/Jonathan quite a bit, and I think a relationship with Steve would make more sense. But don't worry, there's still going to be hints of a romance in this story! I'm glad you're still reading, and thank you for the review:)

tazsgirl6969: Thanks for the review!

Micky-Moo: Aw, thank you! Here's the new chapter.