Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Gate
Veronica let out a scream as her entire body felt like it was ignited on fire before turning numb. She moved quickly to scramble away but soon realized that she was no longer within the forest surrounding Hawkins. It felt like every nerve ending on her body was lit aflame with her mind trying to catch up back to her. Her dark eyes were wide as she frantically looked around her. It took a few moments for her mind to realize where she was.
The halls were dark with a strong scent filling the air, a scent that was making her stomach turn, it was metallic. Florescent lights flickered at random parts of the hallway which made it difficult for her to see anything. But as her eyes adjusted against the dimmed darkness, Veronica was able to make out the slumped-over bodies that littered the floor and leaned against the walls. Her stomach churned as she realized what the smell was that was wafting through the air.
Veronica fought back as she gagged, placing her hand firmly over her mouth, and moved to stand up from the ground. Her stance was weak as she faltered and swayed from side to side, before grabbing the wall for support. The chittering noise of the Demogorgon – demodogs – could be heard from throughout the building. Veronica wasn't able to tell if it was from afar, or closer.
"What the hell?" Veronica asked as her eyes scanned over the destroyed hallway of Hawkins lab.
Slowly Veronica moved through the halls trying to create as little noise as possible, peeking around corners to make sure there wasn't something ominous around the corner waiting for her. Veronica was weak, she could feel it, and was afraid of what would happen if the need to defend herself arose. Her hand moved along the white cement walls and turned another corner, coming face to face with a bright light at the end of the hall. Veronica's first instinct was to rise her hands up in defense, unsure of what was on the other side of the light.
"Veronica?" a deep, familiar voice sounded, the light moving down toward the floor.
Standing at the end of the hallway with a rifle in hand was her father and beside him her sister. The cavernous feeling that settled into her chest after leaving them earlier returned and seemed to intensify with each passing second. Hopper's face was cast in disbelief as he quickly moved down the hallway toward her. His larger hand reached and caressed her face as he looked at her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, his voice laced with worry.
The first thing Hopper couldn't help but think was that his daughter was in the midst of another episode. That the Mindflayer had brought her here in order to stop them from closing the gate.
"I-I don't know...I-I...I woke up here...I-I don't know...I don't know," Veronica continued to repeat as she stared up at her dad.
"Shhh, shh...It's ok...It's ok..."
It was almost like Hopper could taste and feel the emotions that were moving through Veronica. Seeing the look in her eyes scared him, the intense instinct to protect her overcoming him.
The electrical connection Veronica had always felt with Eleven was buzzing around her, a feeling that Veronica hadn't realized returned. How she missed finally feeling connected to Eleven again. To suddenly not feel so alone.
But Veronica couldn't help the flash of anger she felt the moment she noticed El taking a step toward her.
"Stop..." Veronica shook her head, her dark eyes connecting with Eleven's.
"Seven...please..." El's lips turned down into a deep frown, her face quickly twisting with sadness.
"Why are you here?" Veronica spoke, interrupting Eleven, with her gaze dancing between the small girl in front of her and her father.
"How are we sure this is you, Veronica?" Hopper asked
"It's her," Eleven spoke quickly, "I know it's her."
Veronica felt like another stab had been ripped through her chest at her father's question. A part of her knew why the question was posed with everything that was going on and the episodes that have been happening, but it still hurt. Especially after everything that had transpired earlier in the evening.
Veronica scoffed and shook her head, turning away slightly to the two in front of her, "Wow, Hopper..."
"Can't fault me for thinking otherwise, Veronica," Hopper sighed heavily, "You disappeared and teleported away from me."
"I think I had a good reason to do so." Veronica's voice hardened as she glared at him. "Now...what are you doing here?"
"Close gate," Eleven spoke,
Veronica's eyes widened, "I-It's here? It's been here the whole time?"
"Another little secret that the lab had been keeping from us," Hopper spoke,
Before anyone could speak another word, another echoing cry from the monsters moved through the halls. Every one of their backs straightens with fear – Veronica moving to stand closer with her father and Eleven. Hopper's rifle was pointed forward, the light at the end of the gun lighting up the hallway.
"We need to move fast, we don't have a lot of time." Hopper spoke, "We need to move to the basement, that's where the gate has been."
Veronica followed closely behind Hopper as he moved slowly and tactically through the hallway of Hawkins Lab. The fear he felt before only doubles now with Veronica with them. He couldn't understand what had brought her here, but a part of him was happy. To know where she was, and to know that she was safe. A not within the clutches of the Mindflayer like Will was.
The closer the three of them moved through the staircase and down into the basement of the laboratory, the more of the Upside Down started to show that its presence was near. Flecks of snow-like debris moved through the air. It also felt harder to breathe the further they moved down, the air almost causing a burn to form in their lungs. But also the echoing roar of monsters got louder and closer.
"W-We're close," Veronica whispered, Hopper, looked down at her for a moment. She could slightly see the confusion on his face in the dim light. "I-I'm getting this...feeling...I can't explain it. It's like...like a tether..."
"I feel it too," El whispered from the other side of Hopper.
Hopper sighed deeply as they walked through the final door of the staircase that would bring them into the basement. His finger hovered over the trigger ready for anything that would come at them, feeling the need to protect his girls at any cost. Veronica kept looking over her shoulder as she kept Eleven between her and Hopper the entire walk down. When the three of them came upon a set of double doors, Veronica felt like her heart had dropped out of her body and left her cold. She knew what was beyond those doors.
Hopper hesitated for a moment, before speaking, "Wait here,"
Veronica moved to step beside Eleven, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, as Hopper moved away from them. The brightness of the flashlight began to fade away from them, causing the darkness to crowd around them more. Veronica gave Eleven's shoulder a slight squeeze for comfort as she heard the harsh, heavy breathing coming from her.
"Everything is going to be ok, Eleven," Veronica whispered softly, pushing a calming feeling to wash over Eleven.
Eleven didn't speak, just looked over her shoulder to Veronica, a softening to her brown eyes – a silent thank you.
Veronica doesn't know how long they stood there with the darkness shadowing her and El. But she could hear the slight chittering of the demodogs. Her eyes closed for a moment as she silently prayed that Hopper would be safe.
Suddenly an uncomfortable feeling started moving up through Veronica. It started at her feet and moved up her legs, before exploding from within her chest. Her eyes widened as she faltered back away from Eleven. Her hand reached up around her throat before falling to the floor beneath her.
"Seven? Are you ok?" Eleven asked, a worried gaze coming across her face.
Veronica groaned slightly and slowly nodded her head, the pain still there, "I-It feels...the burning..."
"Burning?"
A loud painful screech sounded from down the hallway, pulling the girl's attention back in the direction Hopper disappeared down. They clasped hands tightly before moving down the dark hallway and into the main control room of the Lab. What welcomed the two of them was enough to make them both falter back in shock. Broken glass was shattered across the floor with the bodies of a few technicians slumped over some of the equipment they tried to hide behind.
"Holy hell," Veronica muttered as her eyes traveled up along the wall that a large, vine-like, creation moving up the wall.
It seemed to move as if it was breathing. Vines and tendrils stretch out across the concrete wall. A red light shone through the thin barrier between the Lab and the Upside Down. Veronica's heart continued to race the longer she stared up at the intrusive creation. Both girls stood on either side of the Chief as they stared at the humming, breathing Gate.
"...Chief...are you there? Chief? Do you copy?" Jonathan's voice statically came through a radio, that Veronica only now noticed was clipped to Hopper's jacket.
With his eyes unmoving from what was in front of him, Hopper grabbed the walkie, before speaking, "I copy."
"Close it," Jonathan spoke back quickly, his voice firm and definite.
Slowly, Veronica's eyes moved from the gate to her sister's.
"You were going to try and close this alone?" Veronica spoke, astonished
"No choice."
"No choice? Doing this alone could kill you," Veronica shook her head,
"We have to move quickly, ok. You're here now, Veronica." Hopper spoke, turning to look down at her. "At the time, El was the only option, ok? But you're here, and you can help her."
Veronica stared up at him before slowly nodding her head, before he stepped around her, and headed to the moving platform. Veronica rubbed her hands over her face as she followed close behind with Eleven right at her side. The emotions moving through her were enough to make her feel exhausted. But Veronica didn't let her mind focus on that for too long, knowing that moment wasn't the time.
Hopper grabbed the small gate and latched it tightly behind them, before pressing the button on the side panel to send the three of them up. Moving up the length of the gate only made it feel more ominous and daunting. A part of Veronica couldn't help but doubt that either of them was going to close it – even with the two of them there.
But Veronica was snapped out of her thoughts as she felt a small hand grasp her hand, squeezing it tightly. She looked down quickly and saw Eleven staring at the Gate with the same fearful look Veronica was sure was on her face. Eleven's gaze slowly moved up to hers, and a small smile turned up on the corner of her lips. Veronica couldn't help but do the same.
"We can do this," Veronica spoke, her voice a little shaky. But she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Eleven, or herself.
The platform came to a stop at about the midpoint of the Gate. The slight echoing hum was the only noise that could be heard between the three of them.
Hopper looked toward his girls and took a step back, giving them as much space as he could.
Veronica was the first to move with her hand slowly rising up in front of her, her dark brown eyes locked in an intense gaze with what was in front of her. Eleven followed soon after with the sides of the Gate slowly starting to inch closer and closer together. Beyond the thin, barrier a shadow moved along the Gate. Veronica knew what the form was – The Mindflayer. Pain caused her to groan as a headache started to form at the front of her mind. But Veronica didn't let that stop her, instead, grasping Eleven's hand tighter as she pushed herself more.
Blood began to drip down from bother their noses as they fought to close the gate.
Veronica cried out in pain, releasing Eleven's hand, the headache only becoming stronger. Her eyes closed tightly for a moment, before shaking her head, and pushing past it.
"Keep going!" Veronica spoke, pain laced in her tone, rising both hands up as she forced the Gate to close.
The Mindflayer continued to dance and move beyond the Gate, and Veronica felt like she knew what it was thinking. The echoing and chittering of the demodogs grew closer and closer, the quick movements of them climbing the wall catching the corner of Veronica's eyes. A long shadow started to move from the Gate and toward the both of them, the Mindflayer reaching out for them both. Just as the thought of defeat entered Veronica's mind, she felt an explosion from within her chest.
With a final scream, Veronica pushed forward, reaching through her connection with Eleven, knowing it would take them both to close it.
And the last thing she remembers is the small red sliver of the Gate closing in front of her before it all went dark.
Two Weeks Later
Veronica smiled as she watched Joyce and Will dance in the living room with Christmas music playing from the record player in the entertainment center. Jonathan stood beside her with his camera recording the both of them. Veronica couldn't help the giggles that came from her as she watched the two in front of her. It seemed for the first time there was a lightness in the Byers's home.
"Are you sure this is how they dance?" Will asked his mother, stumbling over the dance moves he'd been practicing the last few days.
"Oh, yeah...this is how all the kids are dancing now." Joyce smiled slightly, looking over to Johnathon and Veronica for encouragement.
"Look like you've got all the right moves to me, kid," Veronica spoke with a wide smile spreading across her face. "You're going to be amazing."
Jonathan placed the camera back down, before scrambling to find the car keys "Are you sure you don't wanna come with us tonight, Ronnie?"
"No, no...think I'm gonna spend tonight in." She gave Jonathan a weak smile.
Over the last two weeks, Jonathan had taken his role as big brother of the household seriously, almost too seriously. He felt guilty about missing what was happening between Veronica and Will while he was wrapped up with Nancy. It had taken a lot out of Veronica to close the gate, and it sort of traumatized him to watch Will go through his exorcism of the Mindflayer.
"Even moms going, come on..." Jonathan spoke, giving a playful tap on her shoulder.
She chuckled weakly, "Seriously, Jonathan...I-I'm ok..."
Jonathan looked over to see his mother and brother had moved to the dining room, giving the two of them some privacy.
"You're not still feeling weak are you?" He whispered,
Veronica shook her head, "As I told you last week, I feel better. No looming feeling at the back of my head. No headaches and I haven't had a black spot in my memory at all."
"I know, I know," Jonathan sighed softly "I just...worry, is all...been through a lot."
Veronica gently reached down and caressed his face, rubbing her thumb over his cheek "And I appropriate it deeply, Jonathan...really. But I am truly ok."
"You talk to Hopper yet?"Jonathan asked, a look crossing over her face. That was the answer enough. "Can't avoid him for much longer."
"I know, I know...just...need more time."
"And El?"
"More time." Veronica sighed, "You're digging...honestly, I'm good."
Veronica's voice was sincere, at least sincere enough for Jonathan to accept her answer.
Veronica helped the Byers prepare to leave before following them out to the porch. She leaned against one of the support poles and smiled, watching them get into the car before pulling off. She stood there long enough to watch the headlights fade down the drive. The cold December air wrapped around her body causing her to shiver slightly.
Veronica wasn't lying when she said the feeling of the Upside Down was gone.
But a part of her couldn't help but feel like it wasn't truly gone.
Just lying dormant beneath the surface, waiting for another opportunity.
AN: Season Two has come to a close. Please tell me your honesty about this chapter – I tangled with it for a long time and I fear I didn't get exactly what I wanted. But the next few chapters are going to build on Steve and Veronica's pre-season three. I'm excited about it cause we get a few months of building their relationship and exploring things. I finally get to dive into Steve x Veronica, who else is excited? Also Hopper/El/Veronica is going to work on their family and the betrayal. I love how everyone was pissed in the last chapter, I wanted that. The whole "Hopper treats Veronica like an adult," - that was intentional! That's his daughter, but at the same time, they don't know each other.