A/N: Thank you all so much! I love reading your comments and thoughts about this. I really appreciate the support. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think!

Chapter 49

I should have been sleeping. I leaned against the porch post, hands wrapped around a mug. I had been dreaming…about Tammy. It was weird. I had dreamt of this girl smiling at me, waving as she walked off in the distance but I couldn't follow. Every way I went, just took me further and further away. I watched as she disappeared and I was left alone. I woke up and barely an hour had passed since I had fallen asleep and I felt so off-kilter that I couldn't bear to try again.

I watched a familiar car start to drive by before it stopped, reversed and pulled over. I smiled slightly as I watched Steve step out. He glanced around until I motioned him forward.

"Can't sleep?" I asked.

"No," he shook his head. "Thought I'd check to see if you were up. Didn't want to call in case I woke your parents."

I snorted. I could only imagine the reaction of Steve calling in the middle of the night to see if I was up and having Sam answer instead. Dealing with the lecture that was bound to happen after that wasn't worth it though. Even if it would be funny. "Don't worry. They're leaving on Monday for the week. Vacation. You can call then."

He frowned slightly as he sat down next to me. "You're not going?"

"Alas, a girl has to work. I have too much going on," I said. "Besides, it's not that big of a deal. They're just heading up to Detroit to spend some time with my aunt there before she goes off on some road trip."

"You don't want to see her?"

I tried to control a shudder. I adored Debbie but she still gave me the creeps. I wasn't willing to face her, especially not after that dream. "You've met my aunt," I said. "Would you want to spend a week with her?" He looked like he started to flounder, to explain himself when I waved him off with a laugh. "Don't worry about it. Debbie's fine with it. She's aware of the effect she has on people. Pretty sure she enjoys it."

He gave me a look like he didn't entirely believe me.

"I swear!" I grinned at him.

"Alright." He stood up again. "Hold on, I brought…I have coffee." He ran back to his car. After a moment, he came back, thermos in his hand. "We can share. I mean, if you don't already have some." He motioned to the cup in my hand.

"It's hot chocolate. I'm pretty sure my dad is on to me not sleeping and wakes up now the instant he smells coffee."

"Oh, that's…bullshit."

I laughed slightly. "Just a bit. It's fine. I mean, it's not like they know…about monsters or the insomnia."

"Yeah," he ran a hand through his hair before he sat down next to me again. "Do you want some?" he lifted the thermos slightly.

"Love some. Thanks." I held out the cup. He opened the thermos and poured some out. I clutched the cup when he was done, pulling it close and inhaling. Thank god for coffee. I was pretty sure I would not have survived this far without it. "I will never love a man as much as I love coffee," I murmured.

I looked up to see Steve watching me. "What?"

He blinked and shook his head. "Nothing. Sorry."

I smiled but didn't question it. I had a tendency to zone out myself, I couldn't blame him for it. I focused back on the newly made mocha.

"So, uh…how's the boyfriend? I mean, the whole long-distance thing. I'm assuming long distance? I mean, I don't know a Ted our age here–"

"Steve." He stopped and I tried not to smile as he tried to stop himself from digging himself deeper. "It's fine. I mean…can I trust you with something?"

He perked up, curious. "Of course."

"You can't tell anyone, ever. Especially Billy, okay?"

He frowned slightly. "What is it?" I gave him a pointed look and he quickly continued. "I mean, yeah. Of course."

I stared at him for a moment, gauging his expression before I realised what I was doing. Of course he could be trusted. He hadn't told anyone not already involved about the monsters of the town. "There is no Ted," I said. "I told Billy I was seeing someone that night when we were in the tunnels, when I was driving him home. It was to get him to stop asking me out. I…made up a name."

"And you're not telling him now because he'll start asking you out again?"

"Well, that and the fact that telling him I lied to avoid dating him is really just going to hurt him. I don't want to do that. We're in a good place right now as friends and he's trying to do better. He even apologized to Lucas."

Steve looked like he didn't believe me.

"Please, Steve."

"I'm not going to tell him," he rolled his eyes. "We're not exactly social anyway."

"You're not?" I asked, widening my eyes in fake shock. "But you have so much in common!" He gave me an unimpressed look and nudged me slightly. I laughed and nudged him back. "Thank you."

"Of course." He smiled at me softly. "He's lucky to have you as a friend."

I smiled back. "Well, he sort of told me off for cutting people out and not letting them close, so I think I'm lucky too. Didn't even realise I was doing it."

"Well, in my experience, sort of happens after the monsters. I don't know about you, but you can't really join in and be as carefree as everyone else knowing what's out there or that you almost died, but you can't only focus on it, right?"

"Right," I nodded. "You gotta find a balance. If we fall into the whole idea of doom and gloom, we're never going to see the good in the world. Things worth protecting. I mean, I totally get being on guard but you have to enjoy yourself too."

"Yes! Thank you!" He motioned towards me like I had just proven him right about something. "We're allowed…we should be allowed to be, I don't know, young I guess."

"Sure," I agreed. "It's not the end of the world. You can enjoy life and deal with any apocalypses when they happen." He looked slightly confused at the phrasing but nodded. Buffy managed it. Why couldn't we? The world didn't stop just because there were government experiments and monsters running around. "Besides, who can deny you mini golf or roller skating after running for your life?"

He grinned slightly. "I haven't been skating in forever."

"I can't remember the last time," I mused. The last skating I ever did was on ice. "We should get a group together and go. You know, before everyone goes off to school."

Steve sighed after a moment and nodded. "Yeah. That El kid would probably like it a lot. I mean, she's been around town now, so. And we could invite Robin and Veronica." He leaned forward slightly. "She's been stopping by the shop a lot." He paused for a second as if he wasn't sure either what he wanted to say or if he wanted to continue. "We go as a group…won't be weird if people skate together."

I clued into what he was referring to. "They're close," I said, watching his expression.

"Yeah. You should see Robin light up when she comes in. It's cute."

"It is!" I grinned. "But we can't–"

"Tell. I know. I just figured you knew since you two are like best friends. I mean, you two do everything together, don't you?"

"Well, not everything," I said. I wasn't expecting…I wasn't sure. Maybe it was the fact that Steve was being so considerate and aware, but I had seen him move into danger to protect the kids. It shouldn't have surprised me. I smiled softly before I nudged him. "You're a good guy, Harrington," I said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Eddie was the first to arrive. He showed up about a half hour before the others were scheduled to come.

"Thought I'd set up," he said. "And see if you needed any help."

I smiled. "Thanks. Come on in. Do you need me to grab anything?" I asked, motioning to the bags he was carrying.

"Nah, I got it."

I motioned for him to follow me inside. "I figured we could use the dining room. We should have enough space there." The table should be large enough for a midsized D&D group. "I'm going to help my mom finish grating the cheese for the mac and cheese. Feel free to set up and call me if you need me."

"Sounds good."

"Oh, and my dad's out back mowing the lawn. He knows you're all coming, don't worry."

"Uh, great."

I grinned. "You'll be fine. I'll be back." I left him to set up as he desired and headed for the kitchen. The water was boiling for the pasta and Deanna was getting bowls out for chips. I stirred in the pasta she had already measured out before lowering the temp and moving on to shred the cheese.

"Everything alright?" Deanna asked.

"Yeah, he's getting the table ready for the game. Everyone should be coming soon."

"Good. Your father and I will leave you to it but we'll still be home."

I grinned and nodded. "Sure you don't want to play?" I teased. "We could get you set up with a character."

"I'll leave the games to you," she said. "Though your father might be interested."

I laughed. "He can sit in and watch."

"Welcome, one and all, to our latest adventure." Eddie was standing at the head of the table. I had been introduced to Gareth, Jeff and Daniel as they arrived. They all seemed nervous, at least until they were settled around the table. Will had been dropped off by Jonathan who had about a million questions about why I was doing this and who else was going to be there. He seemed to think I should have invited the other kids but right now, this was for Will. I was pretty sure he just didn't want his brother to feel awkward. Especially when he offered to stay.

"Last time, our journey led us to a town where the townsfolk's nightmares became reality. You all were able to find the cause and defeat the wizard's curse, freeing the town and allowing them to dream with ease." Eddie was captivating as a dungeon master. He was clearly in his element, catching attention not only with his tone but his movements. "Now, before we get started, I would like to point out that there are two bathrooms to be found in our temporary quarters. There is one down the hall and one upstairs, second door on your right. I would also like to take this moment to welcome our new companions and give them opportunity to introduce themselves." He motioned to me.

I stood up. "Greetings! I stand before you as Morwen Darklighter, travelling bard and adventurer. I vow to my new companions that your evenings shall always have song and your fights shall always have my blade." I bowed slightly just for the drama of it. "Also, hey, I'm Kate!" I gave them all a wave. Some of them clapped for me as I sat down.

"Welcome Morwen Darklighter," Eddie said. "And you?" He motioned to Will next to me.

"Um," Will cleared his throat before standing. He looked so small with the rest of us. He straightened up though and set his shoulders back. "I am Will the Wise, Wizard and also an adventurer. I, uh, vow to lend my spells and knowledge to any task my companions require."

I clapped loudly for him and got a shy grin in response.

"Welcome, Will the Wise," Eddie greeted. The others quickly introduced their characters which included a paladin, a ranger, and a fighter/thief. "Finally, we have one last introduction. Raise your glass, companions, to our hostess, the fair Madame Thompson who has lent out her space for our adventure. She is also providing us with a feast of pasta of the hinge-joint variety, smothered in a decadent cheese sauce. We thank you, madame. We vow not to dishonour your home and hearth, everything shall be as it was ere we take our leave."

"Now now," Sam's voice came from behind me. I turned to see him leaning against the entranceway. "Don't go buttering up my woman, son. I'm watching you."

I looked back to Eddie who suddenly looked stunned and a little fearful. I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it. Eddie suddenly looked relieved as he realized Sam was joking.

"I hope you boys don't mind if I watch," Sam said. "Tammy's said it's quite the experience."

"Not at all, sir. Pull up a chair." Eddie waited until Sam sat down. "Now, today's adventure takes place in a distant land and you find yourselves walking on a path…"

Apparently the land had lost all sources of water. The lakes and rivers had disappeared and the people were desperate to have someone solve the issue. We paused only to eat and take breaks as needed. Will opened up the longer we played, getting used to the group. They were all very welcoming and encouraging. It reaffirmed my belief that this was the right choice.

So of course, the doorbell rang. I didn't worry about it, knowing Tammy's mother would answer it while we were busy.

I tried to listen as Deanna went to the door while also paying attention to Gareth asking Eddie a question about searching a room. "It's no problem," I heard her say. "Kate has some friends…more than welcome."

"Darklighter!" I tuned back into Eddie who was staring at me. "What is your move?"

Before I could answer, Deanna came into the room. "Kate, boys, I hope you don't mind but Hopper dropped off Jane. He's working tonight. Can she join you?" El was following behind her. She looked confused at the setup we had.

"Hey!" I grinned at her and waved her forward. "We're in the middle of a game right now, but you can watch if you want."

"What game?"

"Dungeons and Dragons!" Eddie stood up. "Welcome, maiden, to a story of intrigue and trials. Our intrepid adventurers are on a search to discover the mystery of the disappearance of the lakes and rivers. Join us for the tale!"

El's eyes were wide and she stepped back.

"Apologies," Eddie continued with a softer tone of voice. "You want some mac and cheese?"

"Um, okay?"

"You can sit back here if you don't want to sit at the table," Sam said, drawing our attention. "I've been watching them play from here. It's close enough."

"Okay," El nodded. Sam grabbed her a chair and set her to sit next to him.

We waited until she sat down and was given a plate of mac and cheese before we continued.

It was late when the campaign finally wrapped up. Eddie made sure the others cleaned up and the dining room looked as spotless as it was when he arrived. They all thanked us profusely for allowing them to play and for joining in. Will was invited to play with them any time.

Once they were gone, I offered to drive Will and El home. Deanna and Sam were a little hesitant but I promised them I'd come back as soon as Hopper got home.

They agreed on that basis and the promise that I called them when I reached Hopper's place. They didn't know it was a cabin in the middle of the woods which sounded like a horror movie, but that was fine. Aside from possible monsters hiding in the trees.

I drove Will home first. El came with me as I went inside to make sure someone was actually there. I wasn't about to take chances with leaving any of these kids alone on my watch. Not when I knew what was out there. Luckily, both Joyce and Jonathan were there. They seemed surprised to see El and I but they were quickly distracted as Will started to tell them everything about the campaign. Joyce gave me a thankful smile as I waved and led El out.

"So?" I asked El once we were alone. "What did you think of the game?"

"It was…weird. Different? But it sounded…fun. The one, the leader? He did the voices."

"Yeah, that was Eddie. He was the Dungeon Master. He tells the story, plays all the side characters and the villains. He makes it fun. He's very…" I tried to think of the right word. "Theatrical."

"He looked like he should be on tv."

I laughed. "He does, doesn't he?"

"What were the things you all had? They looked like tiny dolls."

"Oh! They were cool. Eddie painted them for the players. Next time you come over, I'll show you the one he made for my character, Morwen Darklighter."

"You played before?"

I smiled slightly. "Yeah, with cousins back…back home. My uncle was super into it and he'd set up these campaigns to help keep us entertained when we had family or community gatherings. It made being there more fun."

"You miss them."

"Every day," I said. "But it's okay. It…doesn't hurt as much as it used to. Besides, I have you guys now, right?"

El gave me a wide smile. "Right."

"You sure you're alright at home?" I looked over at Flo. She was staring at me, concerned.

I gave her a smile, closing the filing cabinet. "Yup! Mom left me a bunch of food for the week. I'll mostly be here, maybe the pool and hanging out with Robin."

"No parties?" Phil asked, holding a cup of coffee and leaning against his desk.

"Why? You want an invite?" I asked dryly.

"Just want to know if we're going to get noise complaints." He took a sip of the coffee. "You know from the neighbours."

"Something your neighbours wouldn't know anything about," I joked. Flo laughed. "Don't worry, Callahan. If I have a party, you'll be second on the list."

"Second?"

"Sure. Beth is first."

He sighed. "Always second to my sister."

I reached over and patted his shoulder. "She's prettier, and I know from class with her that she hits really hard."

"After all we've been through!" He joked back.

"She helped me get my schedule changed for senior year."

"Yeah, yeah."

I laughed as he went back to work. I finished what I was doing before I headed out for lunch, pausing only to ask the others if they wanted anything. Flo suggested I grab some decent coffee since I would be manning the radio when I got back. There was never much happening in this town, which was a good thing in my opinion. No news was good news.

"Sure," I said. "I'm all out of mine."

"What brand is that?" Flo asked.

I shrugged. "No idea. Steve gave it to me. We've been swapping recipes trying to figure out the best ones."

Flo raised her eyebrows. "Oh, sounds nice."

"Yeah, you want me to bring you back some?"

I got the orders and headed for the closest diner. I probably should have brought lunch from home but I had no desire to actually make something. It was easier to just grab a sandwich. It also had the bonus of caffeine which seemed to always be desperately needed.

The diner wasn't too busy. I went to the counter and sat down, waiting for the waitress to come my way. I ordered a turkey club and a bunch of coffees to go. The upside of the eighties was that things weren't as expensive. The downside was that wages sucked. I knew minimum wage sucked in my time but this was awful. Thank god I didn't have to rent a place.

I thanked the waitress and the cook and headed back to the station.

Five steps later and I swerved quickly with surprising ease to avoid crashing into Billy. "Woah," I clutched the coffees close. He gave me a smirk but it didn't look like it fully reached his eyes. He looked exhausted. "Are you okay?"

"Why, you wanna play doctor? What would Ted think?" He blew me a kiss.

"Maybe undertaker. You look like you're part of the walking dead," I said.

"Maybe I just need something to perk me up."

I gave him an unpressed look. I dug out the container of fries that came with the sandwich. "Here. Eat." I passed it to him. He took it and dutifully ate. "Jesus, Billy. Should I tell Hopper you're not taking care of yourself? Get you two people worrying about you?" It would only be fair considering he told Hopper about the bruises. I watched him for a long moment. "Come on." I motioned for him to follow me and headed back to the diner. I ordered another sandwich. Billy glared at the others around us but didn't protest as I dragged him back to the station with me. If his appearance didn't tell me he wasn't himself, the fact that he followed me without complaint sure did.

"I'm back!" I called out as we walked in. "I made a citizen's arrest! Found this one off his leash." He threw me a glare but I grinned back in response.

"Who's this?" Flo asked as she came out of the side hall. Powell followed out from behind her. He looked between us before digging in his pocket and slipping some cash to Flo. Maybe for the coffee.

"Friend of mine. Billy. You mind if he hangs out a bit while I eat?"

Flo stared at both of us for a moment before she nodded. "That's fine."

"Thanks."

It was easy to work the phones at the station. Mainly because few people called in and if they did, it was something like a crisis of a missing cat. That was Claudia Henderson asking for an update on a cat that had been gone for months. I hadn't had the heart to tell her it had probably been eaten. She tended to call when Hopper wasn't scheduled, like she had a weird intuition that he wasn't there. The calls had grown less frequent as time went on and we spent most of it talking about things that didn't involve cats at all, like summer plans and how Dustin was off to a summer camp. I think it helped when I suggested she check the shelter and that her home was large enough for two cats, really. She had adopted one on sight.

Billy seemed to not mind the fact that I couldn't engage in a battle of wills with him. He was content to sit near me and watch the happenings. Mainly, I was hoping he'd take the chance and learn to fall asleep sitting up.

Flo stepped in front of him and he jerked up slightly as if he wasn't expecting her. "Well," she said. "If you're going to be here, might as well make yourself useful. Come help me with these."

"Yes, ma'am," he said after a moment. He stood and followed.

[tbc]