I do not own Stranger Things or any of the characters.
Resolusion
Feeling was first. An ache radiating from his entire body, particularly the small of his back. A stabbing, throbbing pain in his skull. A hand in his. Smell was next. Flowers, that overly-sterile smell of a hospital, Max's shampoo. He dragged his eyes open, feeling like they were actively resisting of their own accord, and the light seared into them agonizingly, kicking his migraine up several notches. But there she was. Her beautiful red hair, her beautiful, relieved smile, dark circles under her beautiful, tear-filled eyes. He smiled, squeezing her hand as much as he could, his body barely responding. She began to sob happily, kissing him, and he smiled, kissing her back. He After a few minutes, she pulled back and he forced his head and eyes to move in order to look around. They were all there. Even Billy. Everyone was. Everyone except Hopper. He looked to Joyce and Bob questioningly, and tears began to fall down Joyce's face. And he understood. They may have won, but they'd also lost. They'd lost Hopper. His father. Eleven's father. Tears began to fall down Eleven and Thirteen's eyes as well. No one said anything. Max simply held his hand tighter, Eleven taking his other, and he squeezed both.
Thirteen looked over at the door as the specialist doctor all of the nurses had been talking about finally walked in. Except, it wasn't a specialist doctor. The others had warned him ahead of time, so he wasn't surprised to see Owens smiling at him from the doorway.
"You're awake," Owens said.
"And you're finally here," Thirteen countered. "I assume you nursed me back to health."
"And kept them from moving you to a hospital outside of Hawkins," Owens nodded. "You'll be fit to leave tomorrow morning. After another week of rest, you and Eleven will be relocated to-"
"Go fuck yourself," Thirteen snarled.
"What?" Owens sputtered.
"I'm not going anywhere," Thirteen said. "Neither is Ellie. We have friends and family here. Our life is here."
Owens' brow furrowed. "Listen to me. I didn't explain this to Eleven, because she wouldn't understand, but you will. There are elements of the government, the military especially, who believe Eleven is a threat and want to neutralize her. They also believe that you are a threat. They will come for you."
Thirteen glared at him but nodded. "Send Eleven. Hide her. But I'm not going anywhere."
"Thirteen-" Owens began.
"No," Thirteen said. "There's another way. Make it so I died. Just like when Brenner did. I can take a new name, and I can change my appearance. I'm my own witness protection, or at least half of it. But Hawkins may not be safe. Things may start again. If they do, I can help. I'll stay here, you send Eleven to safety."
"Who will you live with?" Owens asked.
"Me," Kali said. "No one knows who I really am, so he'd be safe with me."
Owens considered for a few moments before nodding. "Alright. In a few days, I'll have only Eleven relocated, and I expect Joyce and her family will be willing to go with her."
Thirteen nodded as Kali sat to his left and Max walked in sitting to his right Eleven walking in a couple seconds later.
"I'll leave you to rest, then," Owens said.
Thirteen nodded, and Owens left, Thirteen squeezing Max's hand lightly.
"Thank you," Max said after a few moments of silence. "You saved Billy, and he's actually been...nice. He's been a brother since you saved him. I never got the chance to say it earlier since we were filling you in on everything, so thank you."
Thirteen smiled. "Of course."
She smiled, kissing him, and once she pulled back, he yawned.
"Rest," Eleven said.
"You've definitely earned it," Kali said.
Thirteen nodded, then smiled ruefully. "I still can't believe we all got our asses kicked to a love song."
The others laughed. Thirteen yawned again, and closed his eyes, squeezing Max's hand before slipping back into sleep.
"Turn around," Max and Thirteen sang loudly, Dustin glaring at them and blushing. "Look at what you seeee~. In her face. The mirror of your dreeeaaams~. Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds."
"Wait, did we get that verse right?" Max asked Dustin, who simply glared at them. "It's 'unfold behind the clouds?'"
"Yeah," Dustin said, unimpressed. "But you're butchering it, so could you please stop?"
"So, then, join in, Dusty-bun," Thirteen invited him, Dustin's glare turning into a full scowl. "Yeah, come on, Dusty-bun. Why don't you join us?"
"You guys are so funny you should be on Carson," Dustin said flatly.
"Can't we just hear your rendition?" Max asked.
"No," Dustin said.
"Please, just one verse?" Max pleaded.
"No!" Dustin said. "No way! It's reserved for Suzie's ears and Suzie's ears alone."
So, they began to sing again, Dustin flipping them off, then snapping for them to shut up. They continued to sing for a few more minutes, getting the words horrendously wrong just to annoy him before finally beginning to laugh and returning to packing. It was finally the day that Joyce and her family left for California, and the day Eleven went with them. They were all helping them pack, Thirteen also using it to rehabilitate his powers, though after his two-and-a-half month stay in the hospital and the half-a-month since he got out, he'd almost gotten back to where he had been, and after having used them to fight so extensively, they actually felt less draining than before, he simply felt tired still. He was almost certain that once he was fully recovered, he'd be stronger than ever.
After several more hours of packing, everything was finally loaded into the car and moving truck, and everyone was gathered on the front porch. Eleven was crying more than the others, understandably, and part of it was her having finally read what Hopper had been supposed to read to her and Mike when asking them to take it easy on him with the romance. Coincidentally, the letter also worked perfectly as a goodbye letter. Everyone that was staying took their turns hugging those that were leaving. Even Billy hugged Eleven, albeit awkwardly and only because she hugged him first. Mike gave Eleven a long, tearful kiss goodbye, and then it was Kali and Thirteen's turn to say goodbye. She hugged them both, beginning to sob as she hugged Thirteen.
"It's going to be alright," Thirteen said. "I'll call you daily, and I'll write a letter once a week, that way I'll actually have something to put in them."
Eleven nodded, wiping her eyes. A few more hugs and goodbyes were exchanged, and Thirteen handed Joyce what felt like the hundredth piece of paper with Max's house's phone number on it, since they'd be staying with them while their cabin was rebuilt on Owens' dime. Then, it was time to go, and the moving truck rolled away, Joice's fully-loaded car behind it and Jonathan following in his own car. Once the vehicles had long-since left sight, they all climbed onto their bikes, except Kali, who got into her own car, and left the Byers' former home. Kali went to Max's house ahead of time with Billy, whose car was also being repaired on Owens' dime, and Thirteen and the others, he and Max having both gotten bikes to spare Thirteen having to use a hoverboard barrier while he was recovering and Max having to try to keep up on a skateboard, headed for their own homes. Thirteen and Max stopped for something to eat, then headed to Max's house together, arriving as it was getting dark. Kali and Billy greeted them as they walked in, and while the small smile and greeting Max returned to Billy was awkward, it was genuine, and the equally small yet grateful smile she gave Thirteen was shining with joy and hope. And that was worth all the pain and trouble and exhaustion saving Billy had cost him.
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A.N.: I'll start on the next season's chapters after I finish watching the episodes, though given my schedule, it might be a week or two. Hopefully these last few chapters have made up for it.
