Chapter Thirteen
Piper looked down over the prints of the old newspaper that Robin and Nancy had found while digging through the archives. Bold titles of demons possessing the Creel House and murdering the nuclear family – with the exception of the father. Her dark brows were pinched together tightly in confusion. What Steve had explained to her made sense, and it was true, this did sound a lot like Vecna. But how did a family of four connect to the murders that were happening now? That was the question that so far no one had the answer to.
With a deep sigh, Piper pushed the papers away before rubbing her hands over her face. The heavy feeling of fatigue returned despite the nap she'd taken. And she tried to hold back her wince as the feeling of a headache started.
"So, we're to just sit here and wait for Nancy and Robin to come back with some answer?" Piper asked, her tone thick with irritation. "And hide away in the Wheeler's basement?"
"We don't really have much else to do," Steve said as he stood leaning against the pole, his arms crossed at his chest. "We have to stay together and ensure that everyone is safe. That's the plan."
"I feel like we're just being a sitting duck," Piper grumbled under her breath.
Billy moved to kneel down in front of his girlfriend, gently grabbing her hand and moving his thumb across the back of it. "We have to play this smart, ok. Penhurst and Creel are our only shots at figuring out what Vecna is and how to stop him."
Piper looked around the room at each face that stared back at her. Dustin and Lucas sat on the couch to her left, each of their faces holding a deep sadness and sympathy that made her chest squeeze with anxiety.
There was something about those you loved and cared for looking at you knowing that at any moment you could die.
When her green eyes moved over to Steve his dark brown eyes held the same emotion. Steve Harrington, the one that always did everything he could to protect the ones he loved. But internally he was struggling with the fact that he was feeling more useless than he'd ever felt in his life. He moved his gaze away from Piper's, unable to face the fact they weren't going to be able to save her. Despite what he told Billy earlier before.
"I need some air," Piper gasped as she abruptly stood from her seat and headed across the basement to the stairs.
But before she even took two steps toward the stairs, Steve stepped in front of her with Billy quickly grabbing her wrist. Neither man was willing to have her leave their sights.
"Let me go," Piper first looked over her shoulder, looking up to meet Billy's blue eyes, before moving to Steve. "Now."
"We can't have you go off alone," Billy quickly answered, moving to step around and stand in front of her, his hand moving up from her wrist to gently caress her arm. "It's safer if we're together right now."
"I can't do this with you all staring at me like this!" Piper snapped, tears quickly filling her eyes again. "I can't sit here and wait for Vecna to want to come at me again! I can't do it. If you all wanna sit here and stare at each other, that's fine. But I need to breathe, Billy. And I can't do that in this basement! I f-feel...I feel...I feel..."
As Piper spoke her breath came out shorter and shorter till she was on the brink of hyperventilating. Billy clearly saw the panic in her eyes and rushed to comfort her, his hand reaching to caress her face.
"Hey, hey," Billy spoke softly, grabbing her other hand and grasping it tightly, before resting it against his chest. Piper closed her eyes tightly as she felt his heart against her hand. "Ok...let's go get some air. We're sorry...I'm sorry."
Piper opened her eyes again and nodded before stepping out of Billy's grasp and quickly rushing around Steve and up the stairs. Billy placed his hands on his waist as a deep and heavy sigh pressed past his lips. The loud sound of her feet against the worn wood stairs echoed through the tensely silent basement.
"We can't let her run off on her own," Dustin spoke up first, after the sound of the door at the top of the stairs slamming shut. "Vecna can get her at any second!"
"Not exactly helping just sitting here and watching her either," Max snapped slightly, feeling the need to defend Piper. "I get it, we're scared. We don't know what the fuck we're dealing with. But we're not making her feel better by watching over her to the point where she can't breathe. Piper knows there is a clock ticking down on her time right now. Why don't we stop making her feel that way?"
There was a moment of silence. No one knows what to say or do.
Piper walked out of the Wheeler household out into the front porch. It was getting into the late afternoon when the sun was starting to descend into the night and bring a coolness to the air over Hawkins. For Piper, it felt good to feel a chill against her warm skin. The tightness in her chest dissipated with each deep breath.
"We don't mean to be so...ominous and looming." a voice spoke from Piper. She looked over quickly and saw Dustin standing in the front doorway.
"I know you don't. I-I don't blame you." Piper smiled sadly, "I am sure that I would be the same if roles were reversed."
Dustin let out a soft humorless laugh as he moved to take a seat beside her on the front steps of the porch. The two of them sat in silence for a moment, both staring out over the neighborhood. Not a person in sight - a silence falling over the two of them. Piper fidgeted with a bracelet that was wrapped around her wrist before she spoke, "Dustin, I need you to promise me something." Dustin quickly looked over and stared at her. "If something happens to me. No matter what, make sure everyone else stays safe. They don't do something stupid to try and save me."
His eyes widened as he heard her speak, "You can't be seriously asking me that."
"You're the only one I know that would do it, and make sure that no one else got hurt." Piper stared at him, her serious tone and her expression matching. "Steve is too impulsive to save everyone before himself. Billy would sacrifice himself if it meant saving me. And I can't live with myself if you, Max, or Lucas tried something that ended with you guys hurt. Nancy and Robin aren't here for me to ask, so I'm asking you." Piper licked her lips as she paused, reaching over and grabbing his arm. "If it comes down to it...let me die. Please. Vecna wants me, and no one else needs to get hurt."
"You're talking like you've accepted your fate," Dustin frowned
"A part of me has," Piper shrugged her shoulders. "A part of me doesn't have the will to fight this again."
"The Piper I knew didn't give up this easily. She was badass and fought for her friends and family. Don't let this asshole win, Piper. Fight."
Piper shook her head as tears moved down her cheeks, "I don't think I can, Dustin."
Dustin moved quickly and wrapped his arms around Piper, bringing her into a tight hug. She returned the same hug and gripped tightly to the teenager in her arms. Dustin, like the other kids, became to be like a little brother to Piper. She cried softly as he held onto her and felt comfort from his hug.
But as quickly as the feeling of love and comfort washed over her – everything around her shifted and changed. A sort of darkness washed over her and the sickening feeling in her gut returned. No longer was the spring afternoon shining over them. Instead, it was like a storm was rolling in over Hawkins. Piper looked up toward the sky confused, before trying to pull out of Dustin's hug, but she was stuck.
"Dustin?" Piper spoke, trying again, but he was too strong for her to move. "Dustin, buddy?"
"It would truly be better if you just accepted everything," Dustin spoke, but there was something off about his voice. It sounded gravelly and distorted.
"Dustin?" Piper asked again as she pushed on him, trying to pull from his hold.
But he was too strong.
"Accept the pain, accept the end." The voice became deeper "Accept that I can make it all go away, Piper. Your suffering would come to an end."
With one final push, Piper was able to pull back from Dustin. Only to see that it was no longer the younger teen that she had grown to love. Instead, it was the monster that haunted her dreams. The monster that was causing her pain and killing others.
"Vecna," Piper whispered in horror.
She scrambled back away from him toward the other side of the porch. In her panic, Piper moved back on her hands causing the rough concrete to scrap and cut into her skin. But she didn't care about the burning that grew on her palm, instead, she pressed herself against the railing as Vecna moved to stand. He let out a deep growl from his chest before moving toward her slowly. Piper couldn't bring herself to look away from him. No matter how much fear was causing her to suffocate on her own breath as tears filled her eyes.
"Why must you fight me, Piper?" Vecna asked, stopping right in front of her. "Why must you fight your own pain. You know everything would be better without you here."
"No," Piper whimpered, finally turning away and closing her eyes tightly.
"You slipped away from me before, but that will never happen again. You will be mine, Piper Canton." Vecna spoke, his hand coming to caress her cheek, causing her to flinch away. "Your friends will never be able to save you."
"Go away!" Piper screamed "Go away! Go away!"
"Piper?!"
Billy pushed open the front door to find Piper cowering in the far corner of the front porch, her arms wrapped around herself as she screamed and cried. He pushed himself out the door and to her quickly, kneeling down in front of her in seconds. When Billy gently placed his hand on her arm, Piper screamed and jumped back away from him. Her eyes opened wide with panic and shock as tears moved down her cheeks. Her body seemed to be vibrating with the fear she was feeling at that moment.
It took a while for her to register what was happening in front of her. That it was Billy down at her side and no longer Vecna. The moment her brain was able to catch up, Piper launched herself into Billy's arms. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. Billy couldn't understand exactly what she was saying, her words coming out incoherent as she rambled. He was able to catch one word.
Vecna.
"Shhh...Shh..." Billy whispered as his hand caressed the back of her head, "I've got you. He's gone. He's gone."
No one knew what to say.
Everyone sat in intense silence.
Piper sat on the couch with Billy sitting beside her, his hand grasped with her tightly. She held onto him as she thought at any second, she was going to be taken from him. Not that Billy minded at all. He, himself, needed the reminder that Vecna hadn't taken her. The monster had once again gotten too close for his own comfort.
Steve stood leaning against the mantel of the Wheeler's fireplace with Dustin sitting in the armchair beside him. Lucas and Max stood side by side in the archway between the dining room and kitchen. Max couldn't keep her eyes off Piper, seeing the tear stains streaking down the girl's face. Her stomach clenched as the echo of Piper's screams played through her mind. Lucas looked over and could see the worry etched all over his face, causing him to reach out and pull her closer to him.
"I don't understand why he seems to be dragging this out," Steve spoke, not looking up from his intense gaze on the carpet beneath his feet. "Chrissy and Fred died within 24 hours of first seeing Vecna. But for Piper, it's been days. Almost over a week since she's been back to him." Steve's gaze followed her, "You said they started the moment you got back?"
Piper nodded her head slowly.
"If Vecna has been the master being all of this since the start, it means he was there during the Mindflayer since Eleven and the truth of Hawkins Lab came out." Dustin spoke up, "Meaning he was the one behind the flaying's last year."
"Meaning he was the one in control of Billy," Piper cursed and dropped her head into her hands, "He knows me. I-I remember what he told me when..." Piper closed her eyes tightly as if the memory brought her pain. "When Billy took me from the pool and to some warehouse outside of town."
Piper looked at him and could see the confusion on his face.
"Before you were able to come through and let me go, do you remember anything? The conversation that we had?" Piper asked.
"I try not to remember much," Billy spoke softly, "He didn't let me see much when he was under control."
Piper nodded her head and frowned, "The whole reason that the Mindflayer had Billy take me...was because it knew that Eleven would come for me. He knew of the relationship we had and that she wouldn't let anything happen to me if she could help it. But Billy ruined that play by letting me go."
"You think this has something to do with Eleven?" Lucas asked "But...she's all the way in California."
"Maybe he knows that" Piper shrugged "I-I don't know. But the fact that I'm picked out can't be a coincidence. It's on purpose."
"I mean besides Piper, who else can Vecna use against Eleven?" Max asked, "Mike. But he's gone, left before all of this started."
"And I brought myself back to him," Piper whispered
Everyone began to curse under their breath and let out noises of anger as it slowly started to dawn on everyone what could be happening. There was still a mystery to Vecna and what he could truly be wanting – but there was some coincidence that was starting to add up.
"C-Can we get out of here." Piper asked, "I'm feeling like a sitting duck and I'm really hating this feeling."
"We have to wait for Nancy and Robin to get back to us from Penhurst," Steve spoke
"Steve...seriously..." Max spoke curtly
"If this is going to be my last day, I'm not spending it sitting in the Wheeler's living room."
Piper stood quickly and started out the front door with the rest of the group scrambling to follow after her. Dustin made sure to grab the walkie-talkie off the coffee table as he passed by, nearly tripping over himself as he rushed out the door.
"That walkie of yours better have enough range," Steve spoke as he got behind the wheel of his car, pulling out quickly to follow behind Billy's Camero.
Billy's car slowly moved down the gravel path that led toward the familiar cabin that sat tucked away in the woods. Some of what was cleared up over a year ago was already growing back making it seem not as familiar as before. Piper stared out the window of the passenger seat for a moment, staring up the path and seeing the house peeking from between the trees. The sound of Steve's car pulling up behind Billy's snapped her out of her slight daze. She opened the door and quickly started up the path toward the Hopper Family cabin.
"What are we doing here?" Steve whispered as they all climbed out of the car.
"This is her home," Max spoke, slamming her car door. "She's most likely saying goodbye."
The four of them moved to follow after Piper, but Billy quickly called them, causing them all to stop in their tracks.
"Why don't we give her some time alone," Billy spoke, leaning against his car and stuffing his hand into the front pocket of his jeans. It was only seconds later he pulled out a cigarette and lit it quickly.
"Are you kidding me, Hargrove? You wanna leave her alone? After what just happened."
"I can see her from here." Billy glared at Steve slightly, "And the last thing she wants right now is to be crowded. Let her have her moment,"
"Five minutes isn't going to kill her," Dustin spoke as he pushed himself up to sit on the hood of Steve's car.
Steve huffed and puffed for a few passing seconds before sagging slightly and stopping right where he stood. Max moved to stand beside her brother, as his eyes directed back to watch out for Piper. She moved through the woods, up the slight hill, with ease as she grew closer to the cabin.
It was still broken down and falling apart from over a year ago. The holes in the ceiling were still there from the time the Mindflayer tried to tear the small building apart. Tears quickly came to her eyes the closer to stepped up to it. The front steps creaked more as she walked up to the front door. It was left propped open with a sofa cushion sitting in the way. Piper pushed the door open slowly and was welcomed to the destruction in front of her. But despite everything she was clearly able to still see her home.
She slowly pushed her feet through the debris. Family photos, books, movies, and other things that made the cabin home were strewn across the leaf-filled floor. Memories of dinner with El and Hopper quickly came back to her memory. Hearing the football game playing on the small television as her uncle screamed at it with a beer tightly in his grasp. El giggled in her room as she sat on the phone with Mike, no matter how much it drew Hopper crazy. But despite all that chaos and slight dysfunction – it was home.
"Oh, how I've missed this place," Piper spoke out loud to an invisible audience.
Outside the rest of the group sat or paced along the path as they waited for Piper to come back out. The sun was beginning to set causing the shadows to grow greater along the forest floor. But as the night grew closer and closer it seemed Steve's impatience was growing greater. And as much as Billy was trying to hide it, so was his worry.
"Alright, I think we've given her enough time." Steve sighed heavily, stopping to turn directly toward the cabin.
A breeze passed through the woods and wrapped around the group causing a chill to run through them all. Max's blue eyes looked up toward the sky as the clouds seemed to grow darker. A sickening feeling made her stomach twist as her gaze moved to fall back toward the cabin.
"Billy," Max whispered with a quiver in her voice. "Something's wrong."
"...and I never really felt like I was a part of a family till I came here to Hawkins. Growing up in Detroit was amazing. I loved my parents and the friends that I had. But something about Hawkins really made me feel like I was part of something. Part of a family. Finding those that were meant to be in my life." Piper spoke out loud, "And you were a big part of that, Uncle Jim. You made me feel like I was loved and cared for so quickly. I miss you so so much. I thought losing my parents was rough. But this...this is worse. Because you saved us all and no one knows. At least they don't know the truth. But truly you saved me from the moment you came and picked me up from that police station three years ago." Piper reached up and wiped away her tears as she spoke. "I try and be there for El, but I know that I am inadequate for what she truly needs. She needs her dad. The Byers are good to her of course, Joyce being the amazing mom that she is. But I know deep down that El misses you too. She's struggling with the loss of you and her powers. She tries and hides it but...I guess like a big sister...I am able to see past it all. And I failed you...you asked me to take care of her...and I haven't done that. Not at the percentage I should be."
That feeling returned. Darkness falls over the cabin and causes her skin to break out in goosebumps. Piper's stomach twisted with a sickness that made her fight back the need to expel her stomach. Slowly her head rose up from the ground and looked around as her panic started to increase. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary. That was until she heard the footsteps.
"Hello?" Piper stood up quickly and faced the direction of the steps. "Hello? Billy? You there?"
"Piper," a deep, echoing voice spoke as the steps grew closer. But even with it being slightly distorted, Piper recognized that voice.
Jim Hopper turned the small corner from the hallway into the main part of the cabin with a menacing smile spread across his face. His skin was grayed out slightly with deep bruising around his left eye. Wearing the last outfit that Piper saw her Uncle in. Blood caked deep in his hair and within his beard and mustache. The burns from the explosion blackened the right side of his body.
"H-Hopper?" Piper spoke as her voice quivered, the fear coursing through her body causing her to freeze where she stood. Tears moved down her cheeks quickly.
"Piper," Jim smiled even more, the smile alone backing her stomach lurch. "I have waited for you to come and see me. I have waited to hear from you. Oh, how have I missed you."
Piper slowly backed away from her uncle as she stepped closer to her. Her dark brows pulled together tightly in confusion as she tried to process what was happening to her.
"H-How? How are...you...?" She stuttered
"But even as you speak the words both of us know that it's a lie." Jim smirked "We both do."
"We?" Piper squeaked with a heavy breath.
From behind Jim stepped out the image of his sister. But unlike the last time, Piper saw her mother – this time she was a nightmarish version of herself. Her skin was gray, cracked, and covered with dried blood. Her dress was oddly white and flowed around her but her face was twisted with anger. Dark eyes glared toward Piper with her dark curls fanned out behind her. There was a blackness around her mouth and within her teeth as she smiled.
"Hello, my darling." Kathy Canon spoke, her voice also having that weird sound to it. "We all know how deep down you wanted us all gone from your life. I don't know why you bother to lie."
"No...no..." Piper cried "T-That's not true..."
Billy pushed himself to race up the front path that led up to the Hopper cabin. The closer she grew the more he could sense that something was wrong. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand up and cause his stomach to clench tightly. Behind him, Steve, Max, Lucas, and Dustin followed close behind. Billy didn't hesitate as she rushed and pushed his entire body against the front door. He stumbled for a moment but was able to correct himself. At first, things seemed normal, Piper was sitting on the floor in the middle of the cabin with the furniture upturned around her. But her body was stiff and unmoving.
"Piper...baby," Billy panted as he slowly walked toward her, "I think we should go."
As he spoke, she still wasn't moving. He moved to drop down beside her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, expecting her hazel eyes to turn up toward him. But instead, they kept forward.
"Piper," Billy whispered and moved in front of her more.
And at that moment his entire body felt like it had been dropped on ice. Piper's eyes were rolled toward the back with the whites of her eyes mostly showing. Her face was pale and cold to the touch as Billy moved to caress her face. But no matter how much he called for her, she was unmoving. Unresponsive.
"Piper! Piper come on! This isn't funny! Piper!" Billy called out over and over again as she shook at her frame.
"Shit...shit...shit..." Steve muttered as he finally knelt down to Billy and saw the state that his friend was in. "Get the walkie! Call them now!"
Dustin nodded his head and scrambled back out the door of the cabin, heading for the car where the walkie was left sitting on top of the hood. He tripped over himself many times, hands scraping against the side of trees before he finally reached the burgundy car. His body slammed against the side of the car, before grabbing the walkie and pressing the button.
"Nancy!? Robin!? This is a Code Red! Code Red!" Dustin screamed into the walkie system.
Max turned into Lucas' chest as her tears became uncontrollable.
"Please, please, please, please," She prayed silently, unable to remove her eyes from the scene in front of her.
"The time is now," Vecna spoke as his tall frame loomed over Piper.
Soon Piper felt her body move across the cabin before her back slammed into the wall. A tightening came around her throat as she fought with the need to breathe. She reached up to grasp at her throat but felt a force hold her down, her head tilting up toward the sky. Everything around her began to fade away and no longer the cabin that she called him.
Instead, it became something else.
The sky was red with storm clouds moving through and the sounds of thunder.
Her eyes moved around and were able to catch glimpses of other things.
A broken set of stairs
A grandfather clock caught in the tendrils of the Hive Mind as it chimed loudly
Larger boulders and chunks of a home floated above her like the clouds of a thunderstorm.
But what caused her to scream out was seeing the two forms embedded and twisted within what looked to be trees beside her. Chrissy and Fred's vacant eyes stared back at her. Both of their bodies were covered in slime as their bodies decayed.
"How do you like them?" Vecna stepped in front of Piper, obstructing her view, causing her to stare into his clouded eyes "Now it is your turn to join them."
She suffocated and struggled to breathe as her lungs cried out for air.
"What's her favorite song!?" Dustin screamed into the cabin; his breath harsh from his panting. "What's her favorite song."
"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Billy screamed, the panic of losing Piper evident in his eyes.
"Too much to explain, what is her favorite song!?"
Billy scrambled to think. And only seconds passed before the memory of the mix tape he'd made for their trip came back to his mind.
"Middle console of my car. Mixtape, track 16!" Billy spoke, "And fucking blast the speakers, Henderson."
Dustin nodded his head before running back down to the cars. Lucas and Max followed close behind him as they ran and skipped over fallen trees and branches. Max was the first to the car, ripping open the passenger seat of Billy's Camero. Within the chaos of Lucas and Dustin trying to help, somehow, Max was able to find the cassette tape that her brother was speaking of.
"Ok, Ok," Max muttered as she turned the keys left in the ignition causing the car to turn on.
Lucas already had the cassette out of the case and pressed it into the radio, as Max fumbled with the volume knobs to turn it to full blast. She skipped through the playlist before coming along to track 16. Let's Stay Together by Al Green started to blast through the speakers and echo through the forest of Hawkins.
I'm, I'm so in love with you
Whatever you want to do
Is alright with me
'Cause you make me feel so brand new
And I want to spend my life with you
Echoing through the Upside Down, starting off slowly before coming more clear, Piper was able to hear Al Green singing. She thought for a moment she was hallucinating the sound of the song, till she was able to see Vecna tense up and look around just as confused. But soon it wasn't just the song that Piper was able to hear.
"Piper? Baby, come on...come back to me. Come back to me, Piper." Billy's voice echoed
"Your friends can't save you," Vecna growled
"Piper!" Steve shouted
"Piper! Please!"
Let me say that since, baby
Since we've been together
Ooh
Loving you forever
Is what I need
Let me be the one you come running to
I'll never be untrue
Billy felt his voice crack in desperation as she watched Piper slowly levitate off the ground and up toward the ceiling. The music echoed through the forest and up to the cabin, and he thought for a moment, this song was going to become a soundtrack to his nightmare. Steve's hands fisted through his hair as he stared up at her figure, not knowing what to do to save her. When the kids came back through the door and onto the scene in front of them, all three of them stood frozen in the doorway.
"Piper!" Max screamed, her voice cracking loudly
Time seemed to slip by slowly before a loud gasp came from Piper, her limbs scrambling as she tried to grasp something, as her body came back down. Billy moved quickly and managed to catch her before her body slammed down to the wooden floor beneath them. Piper screamed as she felt someone's arms around her and scrambled for a moment before her eyes connected quickly with ocean blue.
"I've got you; I've got you." Billy cried, caressing her face gently to bring her back to him. Her eyes were wide as she stared back up at him with tears streaming down her face.
Max was next to kneel down beside Billy and wrap her arms around Piper's shaking frame, followed by Lucas, Dustin, and Steve. They all held onto her tightly as the song played on a loop and echoed back up to the cabin.
"I'm alright. I'm here. I'm here," Piper repeated as she rested back against Billy's chest.
Not sure if she was trying to convince them, or herself, more.