A/N: So sorry this took so long. I really don't want it to end in a sense. Only because we have to wait for season 4 to come out. I am soooo excited! Once it comes out I'll probably pick up writing this a week after watching it or so. But t least after the next chapter, I'm going to have a few filler chapters so bridge the gap in a way. :)

Everything was going smoothly, with Erica and I keep an eye on Robin and Steve until Dustin came back,
"Where are they?" He asked, my eyes went wide as Erica and I both looked to see the empty seats. I sighed as I had gotten so into the movie. I wanted to see how it ended but I guess we could always come back and watch it. Erica and I got up to go help Dustin to look for them. We checked inside other theaters before I heard singing coming from one of the bathrooms.
"I think they're in there." I pointed, Dustin burst in there,
"What the hell?!" He exclaimed at the two and they burst into laughter. The two of them got up and Steve came over to me,
"Are you feeling better?" I asked him,
"Yeah." He nodded. I put my hand on his cheek,
"We'll talk when we get the fuck out of here." I smirked as he put his hand on mine,
"Sorry to interrupt but we really need to go." Dustin spoke. I turned as he went to peer out the door then signaled for us to follow. I walked next to Steve trying to blend in and grabbed his hand while we started to walk.

"Well, shit, that worked." Erica looked to Dustin

"Course it worked. We just have to get on the bus with the rest of these plebes, and home sweet home, here we come." Dustin spoke

"Uh, Dustin?" Steve started. I looked over to Steve

"What?" Dustin asked

" Yeah, we might not wanna go to your house." Steve told him

"Why?" Dustin asked

"Well, I might've told them your full name." Steve whispered

"What is wrong with you?" Dustin angry whispered

"Dude, I was drugged." Steve countered

"So?"

"So?"

"So, you resist. You tough it out. You tough it out like a man." Dustin told him

"Oh, yeah, it's easy for you to say." Steve spoke

"Guys?" I spoke to get their attention. We all stopped as there was a Russian checking, we stood there for a moment,
"Abort." Dustin spoke before the Russian looked to us, "Abort." He repeated before we started running. The escalators were roped off but we slid down in between the two of them like a slide. We all ran and hid behind one of the counters in the food court. I held my hand over my mouth as I was gripping Steve's hand as I was terrified. We were cornered right now as I could hear more Russians walking around. Then one of them said something and my heart was pounding, I looked to the others and they were just as terrified.

Then the car in the food court started beeping and it sounded like it was shaking. In the next moment, there was yelling and a huge crash. I looked over to the others before starting to get up. I let go of Steve's hand as we started to stand up. There were a bunch of dead Russians scattered about and the red car was on the other side of the food court. We looked up to the second level and saw the rest of the party along with Johnathan and Nancy. A wide smile crept on my face as I was so relieved to see that Max was okay. We all ran over as they met with us.

I ran to Max and gave her a hug, "I have never been more happy to see you." I told her as everyone was talking trying to get everything up to speed,
"The mind flayer is using Billy." Max told me as I stepped away,
"What?" I asked her as I couldn't believe it. The same thing that was using Will, had Billy. If the Russians were trying to open the gate, that must mean the mind flayer had gotten out or something.
"So this has nothing to do with the gate?" Max asked,
"This has everything to do with the gate." Dustin told her before El collapsed on the floor. We all rushed to her side as she was wincing in pain,
"My leg." She spoke and Johnathan and Nancy started to pull off the gauze from her leg to reveal this gross bump that was moving underneath her skin.
"What is that thing?" Erica asked,

"Keep her awake." Johnathan spoke before running off, I looked back down to her as I didn't know what I could do to help her. Then Nancy, Steve, Mike and I moved El so she was leaning against Mike. When Johnathan came back he had a wooden spoon, a knife and some gloves,

"All right, El? This is gonna hurt like hell, okay?" Johnathan asked

"Okay." She cried

"Need you to stay real still." He told her, "Here, you're gonna want to bite down on this, okay?" Johnathan handed her the wooden spoon. I had to cover my eyes, as even though I loved horror movies, but Johnathan cutting open her leg to get out whatever was in her leg was something I didn't want to see. I could hear El grunting and that was enough to make me cringe as I could only imagine the pain she was going through. Then she started yelling for Johnathan to stop,
"I can do it." She cried, "I can do it." I uncovered my eyes to see her sit up and start to use her powers to get whatever was in her leg out. As she started screaming more, the glass behind us shattered and she got this slug thing out. I made a face as she threw it and then I noticed Hopper stomp on it. With him was Joyce and some random guy in a tank top. We all gathered in a circle, Steve was standing next to me as Max was on the other side. The party was explaining what that thing what. Apparently the mind flayer built this monster thing out of people to defeat El and to pave a way to our world.

"Are we sure this thing is still out there, still alive?" Joyce asked

"El beat the shit out of it, but, yeah, it's still alive." Max answered

"But if we close the gate again" Mike started

"We cut the brain off from the body." Max continued

"And kill ." Lucas spoke before the man with the tank top got our attention. We all broke out in our separate groups. I went over to Max and El as I wanted to know more about Billy being controlled by the Mind Flayer.

"How are you feeling?" I asked El
"It still hurts." She looked at me. I frowned as I really did feel bad for El

"So how did you find out about Billy?" I looked between the two of them. They shared a look before Max took a deep breath in,
"After you left the sleepover, we played a game of spin the bottle to see who we should spy on next. It landed on Billy and El found him and heard screaming." Max paused, "So we went to go look and found some things that made it look like he took Heather." She looked to me. I nodded,
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her,

"Because by the time we did the sauna test, I didn't know where you were." Max shrugged, "And El totally kicked his ass." Max added,
"El is pretty badass." I smiled as I saw El smile a bit.
"So?" Max asked me,
"So what?" I looked to her as I didn't know what she was getting at.
"Did anything happen when you guys were stuck in the base?" Max asked me,
"What do you mean by that?" I asked her as I knew she was looking for details
"Did you and Steve finally tell each other how you feel?" Max asked as she leaned forward, I looked over to see Robin and Steve talking by one of the food court stalls.
"Not exactly." I looked back to her to see her groan,
"You both could have died down there and nothing happened?" She asked as I knew she was annoyed, "We should have just tried to lock them in a room." She looked over to El who laughed a little,
"Really?" I crossed my arms to see her shrug at me, "Something did happen." I paused, "When Steve and Robin were keeping the door shut from the Russians getting us, I kissed Steve before I escaped with Erica and Dustin." I told her. I watched her eyes light up,

"And did you guys talk about it?" She asked. I shook my head and watched her turn to look at Steve. I looked over as well and saw him look in our direction,
"Not yet." I smiled at Steve,
"Then go talk to him!" Max got up and pushed me in his direction. Robin had hopped off the counter to give us some space.
"Hey, Stevie." I smirked as I hopped on the counter,
"Hey Ty." He turned and moved closer to me,
"How are you feeling?" I asked him,
"It hurts like hell." He told me truthfully, "But I'll be fine." He waved his hand,
"Well, the good thing is I don't think there's any permanent damage to your face." I teased. Steve smiled before grabbing my hand,

"Tomorrow, when this is all over can I take you out on a date?" He asked.
"You mean being stuck in an elevator and exploring a Russian base isn't a date?" I asked sarcastically. I watched him as he rolled his eyes and then smiled,
"A real date." He tilted his head,
"I'd want nothing more." I placed a hand on his cheek, before leaning in to kiss him again. This time there was no rush, so Steve pulled me closer. I felt at ease in his arms and happy that he felt the same.
"Ew! Get a room before you make me sick!" I heard Erica yell. I pulled away embarrassed that we were kissing for so long.
"Like fireworks, Stevie?" I asked him,
"Like fireworks." He nodded as he grabbed my hand,
"I do have a question though." I looked over at him, he nodded, "The other night when you were talking to yourself in front of the mirror. Were you trying to figure out a way to ask me out?" I asked him,
"Yeah but how-" Steve paused before the lightbulb went off, "Did you have El spy on me?" He asked,
"I'm not the one who suggested it." I held up my hands,
"You still sat there and let it happen...what if I was showering or something?" He asked,
"You weren't though." I smirked before kissing him again and sliding off the counter as Hopper wanted our attention, "I'll make it up to you, Harrington." I crossed my heart,
"You better, Mayfield." He slid off the counter and draped his arm around me.

The plan now was for Steve, Robin, Erica, Dustin and I go to Dustin's radio tower to communicate with Murray, Hopper and Joyce. Hopper gave Steve the keys to the car they used, since they ended up stealing it in the first place.

"Oh, man, now this is what I'm talkin' about!" Steve exclaimed

"'Toddfather'?" Robin questioned the license plate choice

"Oh, screw Todd! Steve's her daddy now." Steve said as he got in the car. Robin hopped in the back with Dustin and Erica. I put my hand over my eyes as I couldn't believe Steve said that

"Did you just talk about yourself in the third person?" Robin asked

"Did he just call himself daddy?" Erica questioned,

"It's not too late to say no." Robin leaned forward and put her hand on my shoulder. I looked to her and then to Steve who was looking at me,

"Steve would have to say something a lot more ridiculous than that to get rid of me." I told Robin, I saw Steve smirk at the corner of my eye, "Don't say anything like that again." I smirked as I watched Steve rolled his eyes.

"All right, where are we going?" Steve asked

"Weathertop." Dustin told him,

"Weather-what?" He asked,

"Just drive." Dustin told him.

I was flipping through the channels trying to find a good song to settle on.

"So what are you guys gonna do on your first date?" Dustin asked Steve and I. I looked back at him as I saw him grinning,
"Well, I was thinking you could take me out for pizza." He spoke, "I mean you do owe me one." Steve shrugged,
"And you owe me a pizza too." I crossed my arms. I looked to see Erica look at Dustin,
"They made a bet to see whose advice would get me a girlfriend. Steve won and Tyler owes him a pizza." Dustin explained, "She's the reason why I built this radio. So I could talk to her." Dustin told Erica,
"Jesus, how far is this place, man?" Steve asked

"Relax, we're almost there." Dustin reassured him

"Suzie must be pretty special, huh? I mean, if you built this thing and lugged it all the way to the middle of nowhere just to talk to her?" Erica asked

"I mean, nobody's scientifically perfect, but Suzie's about as close to being perfect as any human could possibly be." I could tell Dustin was beaming

"She sound made-up to me." Erica told Dustin, "She sound made-up to you?" Erica looked to Steve and then I

"No." I shook my head and looked over to Steve,

"Why are you hesitating, Steve?" Dustin asked

"I'm I'm I'm not! I'm not! I think she sounds real. You know, totally, absolutely real." He spoke. I watched his facial expression and I could tell he was lying. Then Dustin told Steve to turn left and to go up. Steve tried to make the car go up the hill but ended up parking it. We got up to the weathertop, Dustin and Erica started to give Murray directions through the vents.

I had pulled Steve off to the side, far enough so Dustin couldn't hear.
"Do you think Suzie isn't real?" I asked him, Steve opened his mouth and then shut it.
"I think he made her up." He sighed
"Why would he set up a radio to talk to her?" I crossed my arms,
"Maybe he felt left out." He shrugged, "He was the only one without a girlfriend so maybe he felt like a third wheel." Steve spoke,
"Well, he believes you so you better learn to lie better or tell him the truth." I crossed my arms, "I think we're the only two who believes him." I frowned,
"I'm a pretty good liar." Steve told me,
"Well, you weren't right there." I told him before he looked past me. I saw how a worried look came across his face. I turned to look and saw the mall's lights going crazy. A pit grew in the bottom of my stomach as Max was in there. Steve got everyone's attention and Dustin tried to get in contact but we only heard a monstrous roar on the other side. Steve started running towards the car,
"Where are you going?" Dustin asked,

"To get them the hell outta there! Stay here, contact the others!" Steve told Dustin. I ran after Steve and hopped in the car to see Robin was going to join us as well.

I just hoped that we weren't too late to get them out of the mall.