Day 14

Angst

El had closen the portal. Monsters would die and everything would be better. No more bad guys, no more ennemies, nothing. She would be happy, everyone would be happy. She felt into her father's arms, exhausted but reassured. It was over.

He helped her to get on her feet after a moment then they left the building. She asked him to join Byer's house to find her friends. He accepted her ask and after lying her on the back of the car so she could rest, he took her back to the Byer's House.

When they arrived, they saw no one else thant Billy who was in a comatose state way to far to tell them where the other were. Jim swore and started to get angry at the children who left without his authorization and clearly without Steve stopping them. They waited a moment, checking on Billy's state – who was right aside the bruises and profund sleep.

They didn't wait too long. A car stopped on the Byer's field, headlights on. Jim went out to understand what was happening, followed by El, and they both saw Mike, Lucas, Max and Steve getting out of the car quickly, slamming the doors. Steve seemed truly hurt but they didn't have the time to worry about that because the kids screamed at them to find something to apply care and Steve got Dustin out of the car, carrying him in his arms.

El felt her heart tighten up. Everything wasn't okay. Jim grab her and put her aside to let everyone in and she followed Steve's eyes while he went to the living room to lie him on the couch.

"What happened? You were supposed to stay here!" Jim shooted with anger and worry because Dustin belly was badly hurt, really badly.

While children came back with things to apply care, Steve tried to explain. They wanted to push back all the monsters when Dustin found his own demodog, D'Artagnan, and tried to make it leave to protect everyone but it attacked him and bit.

Hearing that, Jane had tears growing up, understanding what everyone else refused. She stepped closer to the couch while Jim bent on Dustin to try to slow the blood flow, and she cuddled his wet forehead of sweat, getting out the curly locks that were glued on it. Dustin opened tearful eyes towards her, jaw tight.

"I'm sorry." She said.

He tried to smile to comfort her and opened his mouth to talk but at the first sound he made, he just cried. She looked at her friends, Steve and Max. They were all worried but she knew they started to understand what was happening. She turned towards Dustin again and put his cap back on his head.

"I'm really sorry that I wasn't fast enough. You don't deserve that.

-N-no. I...

-Do not talk, you're hurting yourself." She look quickly at Jim who had hands wet with blood, changing compresses again and again. She put her hand on his arm and he look at her quickly before understanding what she wanted to say. He shook his head, not wanting to accept it. It wasn't supposed to happen like that but it was, there was nothing they could do.

She kept cuddling Dustin's forehead and cheeks to get out the sweat when she notice his lips moving.

"Don't talk, I said. It's not good."

But he insisted and rose a tired hand to her shoulder to bring her closer so she could hear him. She let him do it.

"I am... sorry. I didn't meant... to... make you cry."

She didn't notice she was crying.

"I'm not angry at you.

-I'm... a very bad... friend.

-Of course not."

He smiled a little but she knew it wasn't a real one.

"Yes... I..." his voice lowered. "I let... everyone believe... I love Max.

-You shouldn't lie.

-I know... I was scared you would be mad?

-Why?"

But Dustin shook his head. Instead, he cuddled her cheek softly. He turned his head to look at his friend who were crying.

"I don't want... I just want to... help.

-I know Dustin. And you helped as much as you could.

-I'm dying.

-Yes Dustin. You are dying."

She couldn't explain how she could stay so calm. Maybe it was because she saw to many people die before and that she could now even get threw the dead of those she loved. Dustin stopped looking at his friend but didn't look at her either. He was looking at his own belly that Jim was trying to cure and lift a hand to get him away.

"I'm dying. It won't do anything.

-Shut up kid, you don't know what you're saying.

-No... It's El who's saying it.

-I'm Jane."

She sincerely doubt it would be useful for anything but Dustin looked at her again.

"Really..? Thank you for telling... Thank you... really..."

She ignored Jim who left and swore, Mike leaving the house to cry, followed by Lucas, Max who hid against Steve like if it would lied about what just happened... She closed her friends eyelids not so long after he gave his last breath.