As they ate, Dustin found himself asking Sara a bunch of questions about the demodogs, mostly because she was the only one who probably knew the answers. No one else really added in because no one else really cared. Richie was obviously sour about the two of them hitting it off so well. He ate his dinner quietly, glaring at his friend and the kid from Indiana. He had never asked her about the creatures, mostly because he didn't care too much. With how eager Sara seemed to talk to Dustin on the topic, though...Richie regretted that a bit. Plus, listening in on the conversation, it was actually quite interesting. Richie didn't realize that the hellbender's teeth retracted when they trusted someone enough. He didn't know that they were blind, though that wasn't much of a surprise, as they didn't have eyes. Sara said that they saw better than just about anything by using echolocation. Richie had no idea what that meant. Dustin, however, grinned and exclaimed, "Like a bat or a dolphin!"

"You're about as subtle as a brick, kid," a new voice said from behind Richie, taking his attention off of Dustin and Sara...for now.

It was Steve Harrington, who had moved to sit on an armchair behind Richie's place on the floor. Richie glared at the older boy and shoved his glasses up his nose indignantly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Dustin said something that made Sara laugh and Richie turned away from Steve to glare at the pair again. No one else really seemed to notice or care about what was happening with Sara and Dustin. Bev and Max were on another space on the floor, chattering away like they'd been best friends for years. Mike and Mike, who had arrived with the third demodog shortly after Joyce had, were discussing something seemingly serious with each other. El was getting drowned with questions from Eddie, Stan, and Ben, but she didn't seem to mind it too much. Joyce and Hopper were at the table, watching the scene with hawk's eyes while trying to act disinterested. Jonathan and Nancy were outside, probably sucking face. Bill and Will were silent observers as well, like Richie had been, but without the aggression.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Richie replied.

Steve rolled his eyes and took a bite out of his burger. "You're into Nina. It's obvious."

"It is?" There was a spark of fear in Richie's voice.

Steve smirked at the kid, "To anyone paying attention. I'm more concerned about what this is going to do to Dustin though because obviously, he's into her too."

Richie scowled, "Because he's interested in the hellbenders?" He didn't say so, but it was pretty obvious that he was implying that HE could have been just as interested in the hellbenders if he wanted to.

Steve shrugged, "You'd be amazed at how much it helps when you're into things that a girl is into."

"What would you know about it?" Richie challenged.

With a knowing smirk, Steve answered, "More than you'd expect."

"Um...Nina?"

The tone of Dustin's voice made everyone look away from their food and conversations to the girl. She was clutching her sandwich so hard that her knuckles were turning white. Her eyes were wide. Her breathing was sharp and short and her face had turned white. El placed her food aside and crawled over to the other girl, her head lowered and her eyes curious. She reached out and touched the other girl's arm, but yanked it way sharply, like touching the girl had burned her.

"She's cold," El said curiously.

"She's not just cold," Bill said, amazingly not stuttering. "Everyone, get away from her!"

"What?" Dustin asked, glancing back at the girl who he'd been flirting with just a moment before.

Mike Hanlon, who grabbed Dustin by the back of his shirt and yanked him back, his strength surprising everyone.

"What's wrong with her?" Hopper asked as he moved in to get a better look at what was happening.

"I'll bet you anything it's the other," Eddie said, his voice anxious and fast.

"I thought she said that she couldn't be controlled by it?" Steve demanded, grabbing Dustin's shoulder and pulling him back a bit farther.

Stan shook his head, staring down at her, "She can't. That doesn't mean it doesn't talk to her."

"Taunt her is more like it," Bev corrected.

Hopper knelt down in front of her, despite the distance that the others were keen on putting between themselves and her. Her eyes were wide and blue...he realized then that he knew those eyes. But...it couldn't be...could it?

He knew it was a long shot, but he reached out and touched her cheek. "Sara?"

She gasped like she had been pulled out a body of water after nearly drowning. The sandwich she had been holding went to mush in her hands as she released it. "No," she said gently.

Hopper raised an eyebrow at this. "No?"

"She's gone," she said, as if that explained everything, her breathing still sharp and forced. "She's gone...it has her."

"It has who?" Richie asked, moving in to look at his friend now that the danger had seemingly passed.

She shook her head, "Not It it. The mind flayer...it has my mom." She realized what she said and stopped herself. "My adoptive mom."

"But we've known she h-h-had her for a while n-now," Bill said.

"Not like this," she insisted, glancing at her hands and grimacing when she realized how soiled they had become. "I have to go."

"What?" The word was a chorus sung by most of them.

"I'll go with you," El volunteered.

She shook her head at this. She had her issues with El, but she wasn't going to let that get in the way of what she needed to do and how El could help. "You need to stay here in case It comes. The Hellbenders can only do so much against him."

"Well you can't go alone," Dustin insisted.

"I'm taking Porthos," she explained. "I won't be alone."

"Well some of us, at least, should go with you," Joyce said. She thought that one of the older boys, at least, should go with her.

Sara shook her head, "No...I have to go alone. He said if I didn't it would be...bad."

"What, exactly, are you planning on doing?" Hopper demanded, still unable to shake the thought. She hadn't confirmed or denied that she was Sara...technically he hadn't even asked. It was a silly thought, really. This girl had made it clear that she didn't know who she had been before she was taken from her family. Plus, she couldn't have been his girl. Sara was dead. Thinking otherwise...it hurt too much.

He was surprised when the girl glared up at him. The way her brow furrowed and her jaw clenched didn't help him shake the feeling that she just might be his kid. She looked so much like his kid. "I have to do this. The Fischer's gave me everything. A normal life-"

Richie cut her off and gestured at the mansion around them, "I think this is a bit more than normal."

She shook her head at this. "I couldn't save her husband...I might still be able to save her."

"At least have someone go with you," Hopper ordered, glaring down at her.

She raised her chin at him, "No. The Mind Flayer made it clear that I was supposed to go alone or he would kill her."

"It can kill the people it possesses?" Joyce asked, grabbing her son's shoulder, remembering when it had possessed Will.

"I don't want to risk it," she answered. She moved for the door, but Hopper moved to stop him. One of the demodogs outside screeched and Sara met her father's gaze. "Don't try and stop me...I'll be back. I can handle him."

She pulled the door open, but not before Dustin said, "Wait!" She paused and raised an eyebrow at him, but he crossed the distance between them and pulled a necklace over his head before offering it to her. At the end of it was a small, sharp shark tooth. She took it and eyed it skeptically before raising an eyebrow at him. "If you're going alone...I think you could use some luck."

She gave him a small smile and thanked him. She moved to leave, but before she could Ben intercepted her at the door and wrapped her in a big hug. Richie added himself in the hug, making a Sara Sandwich with Ben, but he didn't comment on it this time. He did, however, give Dustin a fleeting glare. She giggled and tried to force her way away from the boys, but before she could the rest of the losers gathered around to hug her.

The farewell made her reluctant to go, but she couldn't stay. Hopper watched from the kitchen window as she approached the hellbender with a black tail. She said something to it and petted it before, to Hopper's surprise, she climbed onto the thing's back and rode it into the barrens.

"Don't b-b-bother trying to find her," Bill advised, looking at the way Hopper toyed with his keys, anxious like he was ready to get in the car and drive after her. "She c-can take care of hers-s-self."

Hopper scowled at the boy before tossing his keys onto the counter and heaving an irritated sigh.

Before a silence could fall upon the group Ben looked up at the policeman and asked, "Who's Sara?"

Hopper's face softened with sadness and Bill, Richie, and Bev exchanged nervous looks. "It's not important," Hopper answered before storming back to his burger to brood in silence.

I just realized that somone asked me if I had a wattpad a bit ago and I didn't even answer. God, what a douche move on my part. Sorry guys. The answer would be no, I do not have a wattpad. I don't usually write a lot of fanfiction because I spend most of my time writing my novel. I just have a bug up my ass about this story, which is fine. I was getting burtn out on my novel so...for now this is my writing world, which is lucky for people who enjoy this story, I guess. I just have an account on this site. Anyway, sorry about that. Spoiler alert, Pennywise shall FINALLY make an appearence in the next chapter...I'm pretty sure. I love Pennywise. He scares the living shit out of me. Anyway, Merry Christmas Eve Eve! I'm off to see Starwars VIII...again. I know this is like a TOTAL fandom jump, but I'm kind of in love with Kylo Ren now like shit son. Star Wars is amazing. Anyway...leave me a review if you'd like. I'd like that.