A/N: I had a poll on my tumblr (asirensrage) about what I should post next. This fic was tied with my Lost Boys fic (both at 37% lol) so here we are. Hope you like it!

Chapter 47

"Well, well, what brings you here, Kate?"

I looked at Eddie and smiled. "I'm here with a proposition."

"Oh," he crossed his arms and grinned. "How salacious. What is it?"

"Your next campaign. At my house."

"And why would I do that?"

"So I can introduce you to your wizard in a neutral setting. Also, it'll make his mom feel a lot better that I'm not just bringing him to a stranger's house."

"The boys will be all aflutter to go to the Kate Thompson's house."

"I wish you'd stop doing that. I'm just Kate. No the about it. Are you in? I'll make sure there's food."

"Well, if you're cooking…"

"Didn't say I was, but I'll have something available if you say yes."

"Very well, I accept."

"Good," I grinned. "Makes things a lot easier."

"As m'lady commands," he gave a bow. Surprisingly, it didn't come off as mocking but actually genuine. "Let me give you my number. We can set it up."

"Alright. Sounds good."

I waited as Eddie scrambled around, trying to find some paper. I wasn't surprised that he didn't manage it. He did find a pen though.

"Can I?" He asked, motioning to my arm and uncapping the pen. I held it out. It was a strange feeling to have someone write on you.

"What happened here?" He asked, thumb brushing over one of the bruises on my arm. It should have been healed by now but I kept digging my fingers into it, trying to feel something.

"Oh. I take a martial arts class. Tend to get bruises when you fight one another."

"Pretty sick."

"Thanks. Here," I motioned for him to hand me the pen. "Let me give you mine too. Just in case this rubs off or something."

"You sure it's not just an excuse to give me your number?" He raised his eyebrows as he asked.

I laughed. "I'm sure. I'm taken so you don't have to worry about your modesty."

"Who's the lucky man?"

"No one you know. Don't worry about it."

"Alright, keep your secrets."

"Keep it safe," I muttered. He looked at me confused and I waved him off. I wrote the number of Tammy's place quickly and handed the pen back. "Let me know if your party is agreeable and we can set a date."

"They will be. You tell us the time, we'll be there."

"I'll let you know! See you later Eddie!"

"Bye Kate!"

I stopped to pick up a couple of coffees before I headed to the mall again. The beauty of working at the police station was that my hours varied. Hopefully, I could manage to convince them to put me on the night shift or let me volunteer for the occasional night dispatch shift. At least I wouldn't have to explain why I couldn't sleep if I was up during the day.

I walked into the ice cream shop, catching Robin and Steve actually talking. Steve was slumped against the glass counter…until he saw me. He jumped up, straightening. "Kate!"

"The one and only," I said. "I brought you guys coffee."

Robin looked like she was trying not to laugh. "Thanks."

Steve looked between us before he cleared his throat. "Would you like to set sail on this ocean of flavour with me?"

I frowned slightly. "Does it taste like fish?"

"What?"

"Because the ocean tastes like salt and smells like dead things," I explained.

"No?" Steve asked and I grinned back.

"You sure about that?"

"What the dingus means is do you want any ice cream?"

"Is that the sales pitch?" I asked, looking between them. "It's awful. Don't ever say it to anyone again. It sounds like a terrible pick-up line."

Robin ducked down behind the counter. I thought I heard muffled laughter. Steve just seemed to sigh. She popped back up, a wide grin on her face. "Sorry, dropped something."

"Okay…"

"What are you up to today, Kate?" Steve asked.

I took a sip of the coffee I had brought myself. "Making connections. You know, working on that whole world domination thing." I split up the remaining coffee cups and handed the one that was made the way Steve usually drank his over to him.

"Thanks," he said, taking it. His fingers brushed mine.

I grabbed Robin's which was mainly hot chocolate if I was going to be honest and handed it over. "Yeah, thanks, Kate!" She glanced down. "Is that a number?"

"A number?" Steve suddenly seemed to perk up, frowning slightly.

"It is!" Robin grinned widely. "Who gave you their number?"

"It's Eddie's," I explained. "I gave him mine too."

Steve made a face. "You gave your number to the freak?"

I looked at him, unimpressed. "Really?"

"Sorry," he didn't sound like he meant it but at least he sort of tried.

"Eddie's a good dude and I'm setting up a D&D night with his party at my house. I'm going to introduce Will Byers to them. Get him…more people who like what he likes. That way if his friends don't want to play, he can join these guys."

"D&D?" they both asked and then nearly glared at each other. I tried not to laugh.

"Dungeons and Dragons," I explained. "It's a fantasy role-playing game. It's a lot more fun than people think. And…on that note, I should probably go tell my mom that I invited a bunch of teenage boys to invade our house. And tell Joyce," I laughed. "I'll see you guys later!"

"Bye Kate!"

"I'll call you later!" Robin called out as I left. I waved in agreement.

The sunburn had finally faded into a light tan. Which was great because my skin no longer felt as if it was on fire the second any heat touched it. I had yet to go back to the pool though. Mainly because I didn't entirely want to do that again. Though, it did keep me vividly aware of my body without resorting to poking at bruises. I didn't want to risk skin cancer just for that though.

When I got to the cabin, Hopper was standing on the front porch smoking. I didn't usually see him too often outside of work.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the station already?"

"I'll be leaving," he said, tapping his cigarette. "Wanted a word."

"About?"

"The Hargrove kid reached out to me." Now that was intriguing.

"About?"

"You."

I looked at him in surprise. "Me? What about me?"

He nodded towards me. "Your bruises. Kid's worried about you. Thinks someone's hurting you."

I couldn't stop the soft smile. For all of Billy's faults, he was definitely trying. The boy I bumped into months ago wouldn't have given a shit about someone else's bruises. "I'm fine," I said. "Most of them are from my Karate classes."

"And the others?"

Shit. I didn't even think about my phrasing. "I just…sometimes it helps. Pressing into them. Reminds me I'm real."

He stared at me for a moment before he shook his head slightly and put out his cigarette on the bannister of the porch. "Jesus, kid."

"I know." I looked down, unable to meet his face. I didn't want to see his expression, that disappointment and…pity. I was fine.

"Kate…"

"I know," I said again. I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm working on it."

He sighed. "Yeah. Just…try to stop harming yourself, okay?"

I nodded despite knowing my agreement was a lie. I didn't know how to tell him that sometimes I felt like tearing my skin off, just to see if I was there under it. It made no sense and I couldn't explain it but pressing into my bruises, feeling the short burst of pain from them was a better choice.

He walked off of the porch and paused next to me. He clasped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "You'll be okay."

"Thanks." I headed inside.

"I heard you," El said as we were lying on our backs on the floor. I was trying to convince my body not to throw up after eating what she called was an eggo surprise. It had been a bad idea to eat it.

"Oh?" I wasn't sure what she was talking about. Not when my stomach was gurgling like I was going to throw up. What the hell had she put in that thing?

I mentally thanked whatever higher power was out there that I was a teenager. I would have been violently ill if I was in my old body.

"About…hurting yourself."

"Oh." I winced. I hadn't meant for her to hear any of it. "Sorry."

"You remember when you first brought me the dazzling things?"

"The bedazzler?"

"Yeah."

"You said sometimes we decorate things to show they're ours, right?"

I paused. Did I say that? "Sure…"

"Maybe you should decorate you, to show you're you."

I turned onto my stomach to look at her and regretted it instantly. "Oh god," I muttered. I curled up slightly before sitting up. "I never thought about that." I didn't really want a tattoo but she had a point. I could decorate…at least my nails which I used to love doing. "Huh."

"Do you…like it?"

"El," I looked at her. "You're a genius."

It took some arranging but I managed to set up a sleepover. The most difficult part was getting the parental consent for Max, El, and Erica. I was trying to help build those bridges and while Erica was younger, she had the right sort of attitude that El could use at times. Billy helped me get permission for Max since I wasn't actually allowed near their house unless I was willing to end up fighting their father again. I knew myself well enough to know that I wouldn't hold back, just like Neil seemed the type of man who would be unable to not make a comment.

Aside from them, I also had Robin and Veronica joining. The whole plan was to eat junk food, paint each other's nails, do face masks and just have fun. It wouldn't be the same with the kids there but it was going to be good. I was determined. It was the best way to take El's advice.

Veronica brought over face and hair masks that would be best for her and Erica and had suggestions for taming the curls I'd been ignoring most of the year. Robin brought snacks and a couple movies she was determined that everyone needed to see. They were rated PG to ensure none of us got in trouble with the parents.

El was dropped off first as Hopper went to work.

"You sure about this?" he asked.

"We'll find out!" I grinned at him. He shook his head and left her in my care.

Next was Erica.

"You sure I can't invite Tina?" she asked as soon as she saw me.

"Erica!" her mother sounded scandalized. I just laughed.

"Don't worry," I said. "You'll have so much fun you'll get to tell Tina all about it and make her jealous."

"Great!"

"If she gets to be too much, call us," her mother said.

"We'll be fine, but I will. Thanks."

"Thank you."

Next was Robin and Veronica who came together. Veronica hugged me as soon as she saw me and they were both ladened with bags.

"Can I help?"

"Nope!" Veronica said. "We have it covered. We're going to set up. Are the kids here? This is going to be fun!"

Robin looked at me. "She's excited to corrupt the youth."

"I am not!" Veronica laughed. "I just want this to be fun."

"It will be."

Finally, Max showed up.

I opened the door and found Billy on my doorstep. "You're not Max."

"Does that mean I'm not invited?" he teased.

"You could join if you're willing to listen to girl talk and get your nails painted. I think they're going to be some period questions if you want to learn something. Like how much we bleed each month."

His face scrunched up. "Ew."

Max pushed her way past him. "I'm here." She looked over at him. "...thanks for the lift. You can go now."

"Little shit," he said, reaching out. She ducked out of reach and I moved so she could enter. He said it almost affectionately.

"Thanks for your help, Billy. I'm glad she could make it."

"Yeah, yeah," he waved it off. "You sure you don't want to make it up to me?" He peered over his sunglasses at me and grinned. "I can think of ways."

"And…we're done." I had to hand it to him, he was persistent. "Have a good night, Billy."

"You too, sugar."

Robin was leaning on me as El was focusing hard on painting my toenails.

"So…if there's one thing you won't miss about the 80s, what would it be?"

I gave her a sharp look but Robin just grinned back. "Mullets," I said. "Or bigotry."

"With you on that," Veronica said. She was applying a mask on Max who kept making faces. Erica kept trying to touch the one on her face. "Leave it." She gave Erica a pointed look.

Erica dropped her hand. "I won't miss living with my brother. He'll be in college and I'll have the house to myself."

"He's not that bad," I said. "Didn't you two agree on Alien?"

"No," Erica said instantly.

"Your brother is cool." We all looked at Max and watched as she shrugged. "He is. Better than Billy. I mean, I doubt you can't sleep because he's screaming"

"What?" I asked, focusing in on what she said.

"He's been having nightmares. I mean, I think it's nightmares. It's not like when he has girls over. Or boys."

I paused before pulling myself off of that train of thought. "Okay, we're going to come back to that," I pointed at her. "When it's just us."

"Okay," she shrugged again.

I met Robin's eyes who looked a bit surprised at the revelation. Veronica did not, which was interesting but I wasn't going to press. At least not while there were kids around.

"So anyone have a movie in mind for tonight?"

"I do!" Robin grinned. "Get ready to have your minds expanded."

"By?" I asked. She reached over and pulled out a videotape and held it up. My eyes widened. "The Dark Crystal?"

Robin grinned. "Of course! Jim Henson is a genius!"

"Oh, this is going to be fun."

Erica was fast asleep on the couch, her head in Veronica's lap. Veronica had her head back, looking like she was asleep as well. El was curled up against her. It was really sweet looking. Robin, Max and I were cleaning up.

"How's…Tad? Todd? Your boyfriend."

I looked at Max. "What?"

"Billy still complains about him."

"Your boyfriend?" Robin asked. "You have a boyfriend?"

I groaned as I remembered what she was talking about. "Oh yeah, no," I said. I looked between the two of them. "I told Billy, and Max, I had a boyfriend when I was giving them a ride home. Billy was hitting on me again and I just snapped. It was after the Prince concert."

"You lied?"

I winced and turned to Max. "Yeah. Sorry. I don't usually advise it, but some guys will respect another man's claim over any version of 'no' a woman says. You pick your battles, and trust me, as a woman, there's going to be a lot of them. Plus, he'd just been violent with Steve to the point where he had to be drugged to stop him. Didn't seem like a great time for honesty."

Max stared at me for a moment and I waited. Finally, she nodded. "Just…never tell Billy, okay? I mean, he's…I don't know, better or getting better and I think that might…hurt him?"

"I know," I said. "I panicked and made a mistake. Honestly, I didn't expect him to really remember or care this much."

"Really?" Robin asked, looking at me incredulously. "He stared at you in every class."

"I figured he just liked the chase and would eventually give up." I shrugged. "He's a teenage boy, they're not known for their long attention spans."

"Oh my god," Robin rolled her eyes.

"What?"

"If I didn't know you, this would make no sense."

"Makes sense to me," Max said. She shrugged when we looked at her. "You can do better."

I laughed. "Thanks, kid."

The sleepover went surprisingly well. We made plans to do it again before Veronica left for college, and Robin asked me to tell Veronica the truth about my fake boyfriend so she wouldn't be telling her a lie when the stakes were so low. Which was fine, as long as Veronica didn't spread it around. The last thing we needed was Billy being hurt by it.

El, Max, and Erica all seemed to have a good time, and despite the bit of age difference, they all got along. I probably should have been afraid about the combined snark of Max and Erica but honestly, it was hilarious. They were going to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years. I couldn't wait to see it.

[tbc]