Happy 2023, everyone!

New year, new SEASON 4, BABY, LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I'm actually really excited for this! I've done some good planning and I hope it pays off! Let me just tell you guys...this'll be a pretty emotional season, maybe even more than canon! There's gonna be a lot of focus on bonds - familial, friendly, and romantic! It's gonna be quite a rollercoaster! I can't wait to showcase it all to you guys!

Let's start with the first chapter of this season! Enjoy!

September 8th, 1979.

For the doctors Theodore "Ted" Wheeler and Martin Brenner, it was just another day. Newsboys were out and about in neighborhoods, throwing the bounded paper on everyone's doorstep. Martin and Ted lived in different neighborhoods, but they had gotten the same paper that morning. When Ted finished making coffee and breakfast, he heard his newspaper knock against the door. Grabbing his mug, he strolled through his well-kept home in his robe and slippers and opened the door. He bent down, picked up the paper, and shut the door, sipping his coffee.

While Martin worked on the crossword puzzle for an hour at his home, Ted plopped himself down on the La-Z-Boy with the paper and a breakfast tray. He turned on the TV and it went to the news. It was what he usually liked to watch or at least put in the background. He propped the tray on the chair and opened up the newspaper, beginning to read. The broadcast coincided with what he was reading on the paper, much to his pleasure. While reading, he drank his coffee and ate his breakfast.

It was really quiet in his home, but that was alright. If he was being honest, he never really minded Karen's absence at all. He missed her cooking and housewife duties, but that was all. He could get any woman that would do the same, if he wanted to. Besides, that woman dug her own grave. He only wanted what was best for his kids.

A funny thought came to him. He really did seem like a lazy dad, sitting here with his food and reading the paper with a cup of coffee. All while the TV was on. Perhaps if he wanted a plain life, become the breadwinner to a housewife and two kids, he would be.

He was glad he wasn't though. Becoming a doctor with his best colleague and friend was the best decision he's ever made. Even if his parents were disappointed about him not taking part in their business, he never regretted it. It made him into a man he was proud of, not one wasting his life away in bland complacency. He was actually contributing to progress, doing something for the future.

Once he was done with news and breakfast, he cleaned up after himself. He went outside to water his plants, then went to the bathroom to take care of his teeth and groom himself. He didn't shave due to the fact that he inherited his father's lack of facial hair, but groomed and styled his hair to look professional. After that, he went to his closet to pick out his clothes. It was just a work day, so he went with his usual suit and tie. He decided not to put on a vest or the scientist uniform. He fastened his tie around his neck and took a good look at himself at the mirror.

Dr. Theodore Wheeler of Hawkins National Laboratories was all ready to go to work.

He smiled, nodded to himself, and proceeded to leave for work.

Ted arrived at the Lab, getting out at the same time as Martin. The two exchanged smiles as they closed their car doors and walked together, getting into conversation about what was going to happen today. It was settled by the time they reached the rainbow room - Martin was going to take G10 to practice his abilities first and Ted would pull D06 away for the same thing. Then they would switch. After that, they can give the subjects more lessons.

They entered in, the room filled with the subjects and bright paints. Many were playing: with toys, chess, coloring and drawing, or little games. They all seemed occupied, even with their quick glances towards the men in the room.

Ted and Martin exchanged looks, then nodded as they went to their respective subjects. Martin approached G10, who was fiddling with a Magic 8 ball, while Ted went to D06, who was the only one in the room unoccupied. He stood at the corner of the room, watching the rest of the subjects play around before he looked at Ted. He gave him a friendly look, holding his hand up as a greeting. "Still not playing with anything?" he asked. The boy just shook his head. "Why not?"

He didn't answer for a moment, not meeting his eye. Then he shrugged and said in a low voice, "I don't feel like it."

He gave him a smile and patted his shoulder. "I'm sure you will someday. I bet you can even make the chip fall on your number." He motioned to the plinko board, seeing J14 disappointed when it landed in a number he didn't like.

The teen shrugged. "I guess."

"How are you feeling?" D06 just shrugged again. "Will you be alright with some lessons today?" The boy looked thoughtful, then nodded. His smile came back. "Alright, let's go." He nodded once more. Ted took his hand, seeing that Martin and G10 had already left. The two then exited the rainbow room to get the lessons started.

In a test room, there was a box of toys Ted told a worker to bring in as he and Martin went up. The man pulled out a bunch of shapes, setting them in front of D06, who was sitting on a chair. He was already hooked up to the headgear and machine accompanying it. The man sat himself down across from the teen boy, clearing his throat. He glanced up, waiting for an order. "Let's start with the telekinesis. Can you move the red block towards me without moving the others?"

D06 nodded and looked down at the piece in question, concentrating on it. Ted saw him strain himself, the machine scribbling his brainwaves. Ted took out his notepad and pen, clicking it open. The strain became a bit more intense. "Don't force it, D. Put yourself at ease while holding it, just like how we practiced." He then saw him relax himself a little, but still concentrated.

After a moment, the block lifted up, both of their eyes trained on it. The brown-haired man watched as it went above and across all of the shapes. The teen then gently lowered it down, setting it in front of the doctor. The man smiled, feeling satisfied as he wrote down his observations. "Great job, D. You didn't even drop it like the rest of the subjects." For the first time today, the boy smiled. "Now, how about you pick up three pieces and move them around yourself?" The young subject looked intimidated, but Ted put on a reassuring expression. "Don't worry, I'm sure you can do it. From our lessons so far, you've gotten stronger than before."

D06 smiled again, nodding. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Don't thank me just yet. Just move three pieces of your choice around yourself." The boy nodded once more, seeing him eye a blue triangle, a yellow hexagon, and an orange circle. He concentrated once again, his eyes surveying the toys as the machine went to making the graph's brainwaves.

Another moment has passed, Ted writing down that it was also taking him a bit to pick up the big toys. Then he saw those three toys lift up, one-by-one. He wrote that down as well. The toys glided over to D06, floating around him in a circle slowly. The boy looked around them while Ted smiled again and wrote that down.

After the warmup exercise for G10, Martin put away the sketchbook and asked, "Do you want to do something more challenging?"

"Yes," the subject answered.

"I want you to find Dr. Wheeler and relay what he's going to me. Can you do that?" The boy nodded as he went to work, finding the other doctor in the void. The machine went to work, then the boy stopped, catching Martin's attention. "Have you found him?"

"Yes."

"What's he doing?"

"Moving lessons with D06...he's watching him."

He nodded and jotted that down. "And D06?"

"He's moving blocks around his head, the big blocks."

"And the colors and shapes?"

"Blue triangle..." Martin wrote it down. "Yellow...hexagon?" He wrote that as well. "And orange circle." He smiled a bit, jotting that down too.

"Can you hear what they're saying?" The boy focused again.

He spotted them floating around a little faster, impressing him just a little. He nodded, though saw that the subject's nose was bleeding. He wrote those down, saying, "Great job. Now put them back down." The boy stopped the shapes and moved them carefully towards the table.

A loud thump from outside made him drop the shapes suddenly. Ted heard that too, turning around. "What was that...?" he murmured to himself. Then the two suddenly heard screaming, now worrying him and making D06 scared.

Becoming confused and worried, G10 said, "Something's...wrong."

Martin raised his eyebrows, eyeing the machine. The waves were getting a bit intense. "Have you lost the visual? If you have, let it go and try again." The subject still looked worried though, making him concerned.

"They stopped..."

"They stopped?"

"Doctor...?" D06 asked, his voice shaky.

The man stood up, getting close to the door. "Stay where you are, D." He listened in close, hearing more screaming...and gunshots. His blood ran cold. This only meant one thing...

"D-Doctor, what's happening?"

He didn't answer; instead, he went forward to the emergency receiver, pressing the button. "Peter, Alec, what's going on out there?"

"Dr. Wheeler, we've got a situation!" one of them yelled back. "It's-" The call cut off, him feeling even more cold. D06 began hyperventilating in extreme fear.

"The doctor...wants to know what's going on..."

This had Martin genuinely perplexed. "What's going on...?" he muttered almost inaudibly.

"D06...he's scared..." G10's breathing then became heavy, his expression of distress.

"G10, take it easy." The boy didn't yield.

All of a sudden, the screaming and thumping got closer, the two frozen at their spot. They looked at the door, the man knowing that if he wanted to escape, it was too late now.

The door bursting open was the last thing Ted saw before everything went black.

Now G10 was hyperventilating, the brain waves going wild. His nose bleed as he shook his head. "N-no..."

"What's happening?" Martin asked. "G10?" Then the alarms went off, then he heard the thumping, gunshots, and screams. Martin never felt as on edge as he did now. He had to find out what was going on, what happened to his friend.

"D-D06 and the Doctor..." G10 said in a shaky voice. He turned to the poor boy, who looked traumatized. "They're...dead." Dead? No...no, they couldn't be-

But before he could do much, it was too late as the door slammed open and a chunk of the ceiling knocked him out.

Ted woke up with a broken gasp, his mind in a haze as he felt nothing but pain there. He raised a shaky hand to his forehead. He groaned and pulled it away, seeing a bit of blood. He was bleeding...

Yet he was still alive.

He slowly got himself to stand up, wincing every time he breathed or moved his chest. He could feel that a few of his ribs were broken. Still, he tried his best to stand. It took quite a bit, but he managed to get on his feet. He hunched over in a wince, holding the spot where the ribs must have been broke. Suddenly, he spotted D06 on the floor...

Mangled and covered in a pool of blood.

He was horrified. How did the boy end up like that? Who could possibly kill him...and try to do the same to Ted? He knew it couldn't be government - there wasn't any bullet wounds.

He took one step and felt pain. It didn't matter, he wanted to get out of here...or to the bottom of this. No, he had to find Martin first, because if he was dead...

He took another step, then another in the next moment. He spotted his glasses and picked them up, seeing that they were cracked. He put them on, not seeing much, but they had to suffice. Slowly but surely, he got out of the test room...and right into the destroyed hallway. It was smeared with blood and littered with dead bodies. He never thought he would see something like this in his life. He held back his need to throw up as he went along the flickering hallways.

Workers and subjects alike all had their bodies and blood everywhere. It was a massacre unlike anything the man could imagine. One thing he noticed about them was that...there were no bullet wounds - none that he could see. That was how he knew this wasn't government...

It had to be him.

He found that he was close to the door of the rainbow room, hearing screaming inside. Whatever was happening in there...it happened in this Lab. He couldn't believe it. How could he do this...? As he went closer, he suddenly spotted someone coming out of the main hallway:

Martin.

He sighed in relief as best he could before wincing. "Ted?" Martin asked, his strained voice laced with worry.

"Martin," he said weakly. He saw that his colleague also had a head wound and was leaning against the wall for balance. "What's going on?"

He shook his head. "I don't know." Suddenly, the screaming in the room stopped, getting the men's attention. Martin got off of the wall as Ted stepped forward. He winced, the taller man wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "I got you, Ted." He was grateful.

The two slowly approached the door, Martin opening it up. When they got inside, the bodies of the rest of the subjects came into view. All bloodied and mangled and limp, just like the ones they were with. They were beyond horrified and distraught from the sight. All of those subjects, the kids of the future...all dead...

Except for one.

Their gaze went towards a lone figure on the other side of the room...a small boy, standing in front of the now shattered window. That window exposed a closed hole in its wall. They saw him take labored breaths, his fists so tight that his pale skin turned red in those areas. They knew exactly who it was. "What have you done...?" Martin asked in a shaky, dumbfounded voice. The boy did nothing, didn't respond.

His body tight and voice laced with a sharp anger, Ted asked, "What have you done, Michael?"

The boy finally turned around, his head tilted down as he still took heavy breaths. Blood not only dripped from his nostrils...but also his eyes. He still didn't answer, yet his gaze was intense...

Which meant that whatever happened here, M11 had something to do with it.

March 21st, the start of Spring 1986. Even though it was the morning, the sun was high and bright in the sky of Lenora Hills, California. Things were peaceful in the suburbs. Inside a well-kept house were the Byers, doing their own thing.

"Dear Jane,

This is my 185th day in California...feels 185 years though. Joyce told me that time's just funny like that. Emotions either speed it up or slow it down. Thinking about it like that, it's like we're Marty McFly from Back to the Future, but with emotions instead of a car.

I think I am Marty because this week went by so fast. I think it's because I've been busy.

Mike, with his dark hair grown out to his shoulders, was sitting at his cluttered desk in his room, a picture of Jane Ives smiling and ready for school hanging above it. He wore a warm-colored colorblock polo, light jeans, and white and blue sneakers. He was working on a diorama, another sitting on the storage chest against the edge of his bed. That one was Valentine's Day-themed, filled with bright reds and pinks, puffballs, handmade hearts, and photos of Jane (a couple of which included him as well). There was even her walkie-talkie that she sent to him via the mail as well as letters stacked on top of each other.

The diorama he was working on, however, resembled the cabin. The home was built from construction paper and cardboard. The trees were made of popsicle sticks. The sky, clouds, and leaves from the trees were made from construction paper. There was even a sculpted squirrel on the ground. Right now, Mike was making the finishing touches to the final piece of the project:

His Pop, Hopper.

I have to do something for a project. I think Mrs. Gracey called it a visual aid? Hopefully, she will give me an A this time.

Meanwhile, at her own desk, Joyce was on the phone with an asshole of a client, having the guidebook in front of her as she tried to sell him an encyclopedia.

In other good news, Joyce finally got herself a great job. She gets to work at home, not go somewhere else. She says that she loves the freedom. Jobs aren't normally like that, right? So, isn't that lucky?

In his own room, Will was in front of a canvas, completely focused on painting as he finished up the sky.

And Will's been painting a lot lately. He won't show me what the painting is though. I know it's for somebody. I think it's for somebody he likes because he's been super-focused on getting it perfect.

And in his own bedroom, a coughing Jonathan had the window open to let out all the smoke that came from the bong he indulged in. A silly picture of him, Kali Ives, and Steve Harrington during Christmas was on his drawer. He was unsuccessfully carried by the couple from one end to another, his head and shoulders carried lower than his legs. They also made the most stupidest faces.

Jonathan's also been acting weird too. I think it's because he's worried about college though, since his letter didn't come yet. I don't know if it'll be the same college as Kali and Steve. Steve's still trying to get into college, right? I hope they go together. But even if Jonathan wanted to go, his car is still broken down, so I don't know how he would.

Just then, a pizza delivery van honking obnoxiously pulled up into the driveway, having a long-haired Latino at the wheel. He was moving along to the music from the radio while honking his horn again and again.

Because of that, his friend Argyle drives us to school. He's really funny and has long hair. I wonder if it's longer than yours. He also likes to smoke those smelly plants with Jonathan.

When he saw his friend out the window, that was cue for the auburn-haired teen hastily hide his bong, grab his backpack, and run like the wind.

Jonathan told me the plants are safe because they come from the earth, but not tell Joyce. And I'm still not telling her.

The three teens emerged out of the house, Will holding his posterboard for the same project and Mike carefully holding his diorama. Will opened the door for his foster brother for the back, him entering in. Then he went in after him. Jonathan got into the passenger's seat.

As for me, I've never been happier here. You were right. It just takes time. I've finally gotten used to this place.

"That's everyone," Argyle announced in a chill yet enthusiastic tone, looking back at the two boys. "Hold onto your butts, brochachos." He then backed out at high speed, then drove away in that same manner. Mike could've sworn he heard Joyce yelling to slow down. But he didn't mind being in a fast vehicle like this - it was thrilling, in fact.

During the ride, Mike took a deep breath, then looked out the window, seeing a small mountain and its dip with rich brush and noticeable rocks.

To be honest, I still miss Hawkins and how it looks, but there's plenty of good things to look at here too. There's a cool mountain we pass by whenever we go to school.

He smiled, his mood lifting at that cool sight.

...

Eventually, the teens made it to school, going along with the pool of kids entering in through various ways. Eventually, the freshman and the seniors went their separate ways to get to their own classes.

Speaking of school, I'm beginning to like that too. I'm the best in Spanish and my grammar's getting better. It's all thanks to Will! He's even helping me with this letter. I'm glad to have him as a brother.

When Mike and Will entered into the hallways, they both exchanged glances and nodded. The auburn-haired boy looked a bit nervous, but the dark-haired one looked more confident.

Everyone's a good person here too. I've made a lot of new friends.

A guy around their age held a hand up in greeting. Catching that, Mike smiled and waved. However, that guy went to another - his actual friend. The freckled boy's heart crumbled a little as he sighed and faced forward again. Will gulped, worried for him. The two looked up, seeing a handmade banner announcing when spring break would come. A guy on a ladder ripped off the number, showing it as a 1.

But even so, I can't wait for spring break. The only good thing about this week going by so fast is getting to see you again!

The boys entered their bustling class and carefully weaved their way to their seats. Mike even had to hold his diorama up to avoid a spill.

You have no idea how excited I am. I can literally bounce off the walls! Will is too, especially since his birthday's tomorrow! You're excited too, right? I'm sure you'll love it here as much as I do.

He tried to squeeze between a guy with sunglasses who was in front of his desk. He nearly dropped the diorama, having the figures drop, but he made it through. The guy, Chad, glanced at him and laughed. He tried to ignore that and his girlfriend's laugh as he finally took his seat. It was right next to Will's.

We're going to have the best spring break ever.

As he settled in, his cheek was suddenly hit with a spitball. He flinched, holding his hand up to it and brushing it off. He looked and saw the popular guy, Jake, with the spit-straw. He was laughing with his girlfriend, Angela, before sticking his tongue out at the freckled boy while waving his straw. Mike's good mood was on the brink of falling. He took a deep breath, sighing but trying not to react. He hoped that this time, when he presents his project, something good would happen.

Will became even more worried, wanting to stand up for Mike and berate Jake, but he couldn't. He knew he couldn't without consequences. Even so, he just wanted Mike to be happy...hopefully, he would be today.

My spelling's better this time, right? Will made sure.

I miss you.

See you in California!

Love,

Mike"

Laying on her stomach on her bed, Jane smiled lovingly as she finally finished reading her boyfriend's letter, held by one hand. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun for sleep and her cheek rested on her palm. It was always heartwarming to read what Mike had been up to over there, but this one was extra special. She was going to visit him and the Byers tomorrow! She was literally just as excited as he seemed to be. Not only would she be reunited with the most important person in her life, but also her best friend for his birthday! Things seemed to be going alright-

The door suddenly opened up, making her jolt and look up. Her sister was already fully dressed: tucked-in light-blue short-sleeved shirt with the Georgetown University logo on it, denim jeans, and white slip-on sneakers with shortened socks. She already had her backpack and purse on. Her hair was still a little past her shoulders, but styled in subtle waves. Her jaw dropped at the sight of her. "Are you kidding me, Jane? You're not even dressed!" she said in a raised voice, appalled.

Jane gasped, goosebumps rising. She had no idea her reading the letter literally took her so long. And she was still in her tank top and underwear. "O-oh my God!" she exclaimed, dropping the letter and getting out of her bed.

"Mum told you to get ready twenty minutes ago!"

"I know, I know!" The girl swung open her closet and rummaged through her clothes.

Kali groaned, backing away from the door. "She and Andrew are already in the car. You better hurry up!"

"I will, I will!" She finally pulled out a couple of shirts.

The teen then walked away, huffing. This wasn't the first time Jane procrastinated on getting ready because of Mike. She and her mum were both ready to go and then there was her. Even though she loved her, Kali had to admit - that girl got on her nerves way too easily.

She walked through the hallway of the one-floor home, hanging with decor and family pictures, old and new. Some of the new pictures even had Andrew in them, one of which had him and the Ives dress formally and smile in a family photo. She entered through the living room, then went to the front door.

In the driveway were Andrew's van and the family van. Normally, the family would take their van, but due to the fact that spring break was around the corner, Jane insisted everyone be driven in his van. Kali wasn't all that opposed either - it was cozy. She went to the side, opening up the panel door and getting in. She went to her little spot with the fluffy lavender cushion on the corner. "She's still not dressed," she told the two.

Terry sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Again?" she asked, disappointed. "Is it because of Mike's letter?" Her hair was down and styled where the tips feathered and curled up. She wore a mahogany floral button-up, sand-colored pegged pants, and short light-red heels.

Andrew shrugged, smirking. "Time's irrelevant when you're in love," he replied lightheartedly. His long hair was pulled to a low ponytail and his beard was now more of a stubble. He wore a green polo w/a store logo, "George's". He also wore jeans and black slip-ons.

His girlfriend chuckled, facing him with narrow eyes and a grin. "Of course you'd say that."

"What does that mean? It's the truth. You know that well." She blushed and laughed a little, brushing her hand down his arm. He looked back at Kali. "And I'm sure you do too, what with you and Steve." Kali scoffed, rolling her eyes away from him. Though now that he said it, it had felt like they've been together forever...

Finally, the adults spotted Jane bursting out of the house. Her wavy hair was down, messy. Her red plaid shirt was above her gray shirt with O'Bannon's Farm logo on it. She had on baggy jeans and brown sneakers. Her packed lunch was in one hand and her backpack in another. She kicked the door closed as the man stated, "Huh, that was faster than before."

Jane finally got to the side door, threw her backpack on her cushion, then entered inside and closed the door. Just as she was settling in, Terry looked back at her sternly and said, "How many times are we going to do this, Jane? When I tell you to get ready-"

She frowned, leaning back against the wall. "I should, no matter what. I know, I'm sorry." Andrew then proceeded to back up from the driveway.

"Did you even brush your hair? Or your teeth?" The girl sighed.

"Hey, cut the little Hobbit a break, Terry," Andrew said. "It's the last day before spring break. It's not like you guys are against the clock like last time." He finally drove out onto the road.

The hazel-eyed woman frowned, facing her boyfriend. "I'm trying not to encourage her bad habits."

"Yeah, especially since she always looks like a mess," Kali stated snidely, getting a glare from her sister.

"Shut up, Kali," she replied, the older teen snickering.

"Hey, hey, no fighting," Terry said to break up the incoming argument. She glanced back at her younger daughter. "Clean up at school, alright?"

"I will, Mama." She sighed, laying down on her cushion. "I did brush my teeth this time."

"And take care of your hair when we get back home. Unless you want to go through the detangling with me again."

The girl cringed, remembering how bad her hair was and how painful the process was. "Okay, you don't have to tell me again, Mama." She nodded, then faced forward, lacing Andrew's hand with hers. The van was already out of the neighborhood.

"By the way, are there any sales at George's?" Kali asked Andrew as he stopped at a light. "I wanna get something for Steve."

"There is," he answered, looking back once more. "Is there something he'd like?"

She shrugged. "I just want to get him something."

"You know, maybe I should get something for Mike too," Jane stated, smiling. "For tomorrow."

The two adults smiled. "Alright, a little rendezvous, then off to the game?"

"Yes," both girls answered.

"Then it's a plan."

Terry looked at him lovingly, feeling proud once more of being a great father figure for her girls. She squeezed his hand and whispered, "Then we'll have our little date."

He glanced at her with the same expression as her, smiling softly. "We will." He brought his hand up to his lips and kissed it, making her heart swell.

A blaring horn startled him as he focused on the light, which was green. The Ives laughed as he drove off, making him laugh too. In all honesty, he'd never felt this happy in a very long time...he needed it.

"So then I told her that I'm worried about the fact that Georgetown will reject me," Steve said to Robin while driving his car to Hawkins High. "And then she started to tell me to not worry and everything will be fine, but I remind her of my G.P.A. and the fact that my athletic scholarship expired, then we got into this argument and we just..." He sighed, shaking his head. He glanced at his friend, seeing that she was way too focused on putting on her mascara. This made him more frustrated. "Oh my God, Robin, were you even listening?"

"Uh, yes, yes," she answered in a voice lower than normal, indicative of a lie.

"Then what'd I say, huh? What'd I say?" he bluffed.

"You said, uh...uh..." She snapped her free fingers before facing him confidently. "Something about your scholarship."

"I was talking about Kali and our applications, Robin!"

Now she was frustrated, looking away from him. "Jesus, cut me some slack, Steve-"

"I'm just saying, I don't know about me going to college with Kali!"

"Well, you can just move to D.C. with her! There, problem solved!" He sighed, his hand on his temple as he glanced out the window. "It's literally 7, we have that stupid pep rally..." He hands went to her face, stretching it back. "And I look like a total corpse, so sorry if I wasn't paying attention to your struggles!"

He gave her a look of disbelief. "You're worried about a dumb pep rally? That's why you're like this?"

"Yeah...?"

"Then we both know what this really is about: Vickie."

She scoffed, resuming looking at the mirror and checking her makeup. "No, no way."

"Uh, yes way. You know what I think?"

She shook her head, checking her lipstick. "I don't care, 'cause this isn't about-"

"How about you stop pretending you're someone else around her and just be yourself? Your awkward, chaotic self?"

She sighed, glaring at him. "That's easy for you to say. You've been in a relationship ever since, what? Your junior year?" He held one hand up, still keeping his eyes on the road. "You're a guy, Kali's a girl. No one's gonna do a double take with the both of you."

"Well, you say that, but keep in mind that Kali's not white, so we get some side eyes and snide comments every time we're out."

She sighed, understanding that. "Okay, some people are racists. I won't deny that." She faced forward, becoming more frustrated. "But it's not the 50s or 60s where you guys being a couple in public was the same as two girls or two guys being a couple in public." He sighed, understanding where she was going with this. "What would happen if I went out with a girl like you'd go out with Kali in public, huh?"

"Alright, alright, I get it-"

"No you don't." She shook her head. "People like me, we still aren't being treated like equals - we still don't have rights!"

He sighed once again. "Okay, okay, not the same, I get that."

"Besides, that's even if I get a girl. Because if I come out to the wrong one-" She banged the side of her head. "Boom! I'm the antichrist!"

He nodded. "I believe that." Then he shook his head. "But I don't think Vickie's the wrong girl."

"Yeah, you don't think that because you don't know that." She opened her mouth and used a breath freshener.

He huffed. "Robin, she's returned 'Fast Times' paused at 53 minutes and 3 seconds. Do you know who pauses at that time?" He glanced at her for an answer. She didn't give any while staring at him. "People who love boobies!"

"Ew!" she exclaimed with a scrunched-up face.

"Boobies, Robin, boobies!"

She became more disgusted. "Stop saying that."

"Hey, am I wrong?" He gestured to himself. "I like boobies-" He gestured to her. "You like boobies-" He shrugged. "Maybe Vickie likes boobies too!"

The freckled girl stared down in disbelief, licking her teeth. "You're such an idiot, Steve Harrington."

He grinned at her. "An idiot for stating the truth?" She grinned as well, rolling her eyes and looking out the window. Although she tried her best to bury it...the hope that Vickie was the same as her kept climbing in her heart. Maybe...

The teens arrived at the same time as Max, being dropped off by her mother and stepfather. The red-haired woman, who was in the passenger's seat, looked back at her daughter with a smile and said, "Have a good day, sweetie."

"Yeah, mom," she replied plainly, grabbing her backpack.

Her stepfather cleared his throat, glaring back at her intently. "Is that any way to speak to your own mother?" he asked sternly. She froze under his stare while her mom frowned.

"Neil..."

She didn't want to start off today by pissing him off, so she looked back at her mom and said, "I hope you have a good day too, Mom." She looked at her stepfather, trying not to feel his gaze pierce into her eyes. "And you too...Dad." He nodded and faced forward. Finally, she got out of the car and walked to school...muttering under her breath, "Asshole."

She spotted an adult motioning everyone to the gym. It was Ms. Kelley, one of the school's counselors. She was thankful she was here, since she needed to talk to her, so she began her approach. The woman looked down, smiling at her. "Hi, Max. How are you this morning?"

"Good," she lied, nodding and faking a smile. "Hey, uh, I need to tell you something."

She raised a brow, still doing her gestures to make the students go to the gym but keeping her eyes on her. "Of course, what is it?"

"Uh, Billy called me last night. He wants to come here after school to talk to you." She felt a bit awkward, but crossed her arms and held the woman's surprised gaze. "Will that be alright with you? I mean, if you got other plans-"

She shook her head, smiling. "Oh no, I got time after school. Tell him I'll be waiting in my office."

She smiled, glad this came out alright. "Cool, cool, thanks."

"It's not a problem. Enjoy the pep rally!" She nodded before going off to the school phone to call him. He'd be waiting at his new home at the trailer park, so she had to be quick. She didn't mind being late to the event.

Inside a trailer, Billy was waiting for Max's phone call. His friend/roommate was with him, the two sitting across from each other. His long-haired friend was slapping his hands on top of the table while tapping his foot. Of course it was mostly in-sync with the song Billy was playing on his cassette. In fact, he was slapping the armrests of the chair in the same manner as his friend. His blonde curls and waves were down and he had grown a medium stubble. He wore an Iron Maiden shirt, tight ripped jeans, and black leather biker boots.

His friend stopped when the phone rang. That was cue for Billy to remove one half of his headphones and reach up for the phone. He grabbed it and held it to his free ear. "Max?" he asked.

She nodded and answered, "Yep, it's me."

"Well, what'd she say?"

"She has time today. She'll be waiting in her office."

He sighed in relief, hanging his head up. "She didn't say anything other than that?"

Max became weirded out by that question, answering, "No?"

"Thank God," he muttered away from the receiver. He held it up close again. "Okay, great. Great. Thanks, Max."

She smiled, feeling heart-warmed from hearing him say that. "No problem, Billy. See you."

He nodded. "Bye."

She hung up, going to the gym with a smile on her face and a bit of pep in her step. She never thought her stepbrother would make her feel like this, but...he was actually being a good brother ever since he got back from the hospital, much to her surprise. He wasn't a complete asshole anymore, not to her or her friends or Lucas. It took quite a while for her to get used to that, since he treated her like shit for as long as their parents were married.

But...this was a good thing. Deep down, she actually wanted to have an actual brother-sister relationship with him, despite how much she also wanted him gone from her life more. Now she had it. She finally had something good that came out of her family situation...even if he wasn't at home anymore.

He hung up the phone, letting out a deep sigh before grinning at his friend. "Alright, get your chauffeur cap on, Eddie." He shifted himself off his chair and got on his wheelchair smoothly.

He rolled his eyes, standing up and getting the door opened. "And your deals are in the park while mine is in the forest near the school." Billy released his breaks as Eddie got back to holding the handles. His friend popped a wheelie as he turned him towards the stairs. "You're such a pain in the ass, Billy."

He glared up at him playfully. "Hey, it was you and Wayne that decided to take me in. You know what that means?" He had a shit-eating grin on his face. "You have to haul my crippled ass everywhere."

Eddie scoffed and rolled his eyes before asking, "Ya ready?"

Billy nodded and said, "Lower." With that, he carefully got him down a step. Billy held his balance. "Holding." Eddie went down a step, getting his foot under the chair. They repeated this process a few more times before they finally got to the ground. Eddie went up to close the door before getting back to his friend and pushing him away. "Y'know, if you weren't actually a cool guy, I'd reconsider our decision and leave your ass on the curb to go elsewhere."

He liked his ego being petted this way. "Well, whaddaya know? How convenient is that?"

Right after he said that, Eddie stopped and purposefully jerked his wheelchair around, making Billy nearly fall off and remember how strong he was. "Oh no! What's going on?!" he cried out melodramatically. The crippled man let out a cry and gripped the armrests.

"Eddie!"

"It's not me, I swear!" He said with that same shit-eating grin. "It must be the devil!"

"STOP, MAN!" When he finally stopped, Billy glared up at him, seeing the completely shameless expression on his face. He huffed, saying, "You're the goddamn devil, Eddie Munson."

He made devil horns with both of his hands, placing them on each side of his head and wiggling them around. "And you...have made a deal with me. You know what that means?" He stuck out his tongue, getting a grin from Billy. "You gotta DEAL with it!" His face shot close to his friend's, making him lean away. The blonde gave him the bird, making him laugh as he wheeled him to the park's abandoned bathroom. "But I'd rather haul your ass to the bathroom than be in that damn pep rally. Just standing there, clapping for girls in short skirts doing flips and stunts..."

Billy rolled his eyes with another grin. "Oh, here we go..."

"...while the head laundry-basket thrower makes some speech about his team and what they've done like they're saving the goddamn planet."

Billy chuckled. "Come on, cut Jason some slack. At least he's being a good leader."

"He was your little protégé, which means he's a piece of shit who won't cut me any slack."

He scoffed, though he didn't exactly disagree with that. That guy was under his wing before...everything that happened. "Whatever you say, man. Just get me to the back."

And that's it for the first chapter! How was it? Any typos or mistakes I might've missed?

So, fun fact about the Lab kids' names: I've actually chosen their letters based on the first initial of either their first or last names, whichever sounded better with the number (i.e: the "D" in "D06" comes from his actor's first name De'Jon, while the "G" in "G10" comes from his actor's last name Ganiere). And there's a reason why there's no names that comes with their letters...a reason you'll find out later down the line!

It was fun writing everyone getting ready for the day in their own ways, setting up most that needed to be set up and establishing bonds! What do you guys think of them? But wow, this is only, what? 18 minutes of the entire episode? Get ready, everyone, 'cause there'll be several chapters spanning an episode (which seems appropriate, considering the longer episodes)!

Also...allow me to address the elephant in the room: Will being canonically gay.

When Noah confirmed it, I never felt more shitty. I did the one thing I detest and that was biwashing a gay character. I mean, yeah, I made the decision of making Will have a crush on Jane WELL BEFORE suspicions of him being gay became more than just another headcanon. So the biwashing was on COMPLETE accident! I didn't mean to! Even so, I still feel awful. And I've written his crush on her in a way that there's no way for me to brush it off as other feelings he's mistaken for love. PLUS, I've come to realize over time that I'm actually queer myself, so I feel even MORE shitty.

I mean, at least Will's still got a crush on Mike in this fanfic, starting in Season 3. I was actually planning that while writing Season 2 'cause I thought it'd be interesting - a guy having a long-time crush on a girl, but then he also gets the same feelings for her boyfriend. It's a rare story beat and I wanted to write that out. Still, accidentally biwashing a gay character...*sigh*

This is NOT something I endorse, not anymore since I've actually grown up and changed. I wanna make that clear. Even so, there's no turning back now. If I do a complete overhaul of everything relating to the crush, it won't sync with the reviews addressing it, so the hole's already dug too deep. However, if I wanna do a full rewrite this fanfic in the future, I'd definitely fix that.

Still, you don't need to worry - he's still not straight and his struggle with his sexuality will still be addressed! And it would be pretty personal for me since again, I've come to realize that I'm queer, not straight. However, if you don't wanna support this fanfic because of this accident, I completely understand.

With that said, you can still support this fanfic if you wanna! I'll see you guys in the next chapter!