If We make it out Alive

by LenaKS

Blood dribbled from his nostril and ran down into his eyebrow in two streams. His left eyeball now completely red. And even though his Camaro was in the driveway he was completely soaked through from the storm. “I have nowhere else to go” the words came out like his throat was as dry as sand. soulless. His glassy half red, half green eyes met mine and I let him in the door.

4. Do not resuscitate

Disclaimer: *Sigh* It gets messier.

Again...Sorry

———-

Throw yourself into an abyss of ocean and darkness and tell me you would not fight it. Tell me you'd let that water take you willingly. Let it fill your lungs.

Rarely I found I ever wanted to end my life. But my circumstances. My pain. And that's when the light faded to darkness. When all hope was gone. And in my heart, I wished I couldn't feel a goddamned thing.

I wished when those nightmares came that I could even look that gaunt, white face in the eyes. That I could even move beneath his iron-clad grip on my throat that kept getting tighter. Black blood splattered onto my skin with each word he hissed.

'Hello, Agent Morningstar'

Sometimes I woke before he killed me. Alone in my room. Reaching someone who wasn't there.

That hurt me more than any nightmare could.

Because the scent of Billy remained. His unmoved pillow was tainted with cologne. Not only that but my clothes. My car. For someone who'd left he sure was still there haunting me. Just like Paul Harrelson.

I remembered it so clearly that day when Billy finally broke in to the basement. The cologne on his shirt when he hugged me. His necklace that was flipped the wrong way. The redness of his face. All things that kept my consciousness awake. Even If I wanted that day to die. To erase itself from my memory.

Yet Despite what transpired in that basement it was also the day he asked me, without saying the actual words, to marry him. And I him. Before that I hadn't really thought beyond our relationship. I was leaving. It didn't make sense to ever want that. But, Fuck me, when he put that ring on my finger I did. I thought of all the ways we could make this work. All the ways I could come back during weekends from California. And when that assignment was done we could move in together somewhere else. Far away from Hawkins. We could have our small wedding. Have our k--...I suppose it didn't really matter now. With three things trying to kill me all of that fairy tale crap seemed obsolete. Stupid.

Without Billy it was only that dumb grey cat to judge my rapid breathing or even the tears that came down my cheek. And I'd scramble for the light switch. Because they couldn't get me there. Bathed in light. Somehow I thought that'd drive away the shadow.

You kill darkness with light...

Just as Night cancels out the Sun.

To those who roamed in the Other realm we were that blazing orb in the sky.

So we'd burn.

--

This wasn't a mutual end to a wondrous relationship. Our break up was messy and once everyone else knew it was something that grew even uglier with rumours that he left me for Kelsey. That he'd been cheating on me the whole time. Or I cheated on him with Tommy.

I wasn't a rock before the heartbreak or the stares. Because I was human. And I cried a lot that first week after Billy walked out.

It made school a whole lot more miserable too. Those first few days I parked then legged it to homeroom. I didn't stay to sit on the bonnet or absorb the sun on my skin. I kept my head down and endured the one room Billy and I had to sit next to each other in. It wasn't hard to act preoccupied because I was ankle deep in work problems. And in that time that Mrs Seery took down attendance I scribbled notes onto my notepad. Thoughts about these Demon attacks. Anything that came to mind.

Prue acted as a spacer between us on her own action. Blocking any sight of me with her huge black bag. Anytime he moved her head snapped up in warning. Like a cat watching a bird.

I leaned on her massively when it all went to shit...she was my rock. In so many ways. I wouldn't have gotten through the loss without her.

—-

Being so close to the end of our schooling experience there wasn't really anything to teach. Testing was already done. So We had a lot of free periods between muck around classes. Watched a lot of movies. In that time Prue, Steve and I retreated to the library to brainstorm ideas.

"Okay, what if we're looking at this all wrong?", Steve bit into the end of a red liquorice whip. Motioning with the floppy end of it. Prue tilted her head to match his awe, tracing the piece of paper laid flat on the round table.

"There's no other way", She shrugged.

"There's gotta be another way", I sighed, biting down on my gum.

"We've gone through every single scenario, Sierra", Steve spoke while chewing.

"Troy's the only answer", Prue added, placing a pin down on our paper.

"No",

"I know he's your ex-best friend's brother but come on, Sierra. Open your eyes",

"He's always around us now , he knows you, it makes perfect sense.", Steve added,

"I'm not taking Troy to prom", I shook my head at the idea, leaning back in my chair. "Why don't you two go together?",

Prue's cheeks reddened with her loud scoff, "Yeah right",

"What do you mean, yeah right? I'm a catch", Steve waved his hand with the words, that liquorice whip flying all over the place.

"You're a kid",

"To you, Elvira", He muttered, folding his arms in his lap. I looked between them as they bickered. Very passionately.

"I don't take children to Prom",

"You shouldn't even be at a prom at your age",

"My age?",

"Yeah, you're like a hundred", Steve smirked,

I knew when Prue was mad and bringing up their seven year age gap really pissed her off.

"I hope you choke on that fruit juice you'll be drinking at the dance, junior",

"I—Will", Steve raised his brow, like he hadn't really thought before he spoke.

"Wow, you suck at this", Prue smiled that feline grin, her dark-lined eyes narrowing on him, speaking. "So, Sierra? You and Troy? Prom?",

Steve piped up with a mouthful of liquorice, "Yeah maybe we'll see you two finally talk to one another about something that isn't work-related",

I felt my cheeks redden, Billy and I had only just called it quits. Bringing a date to prom when I was meant to be going with him felt too much like I was trying to make him jealous. Especially Troy. Beautiful, Dark-Haired, Tall, Troy.

"Yeah, No...It ain't happening", I spoke simply.

"Tommy then", Prue rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Billy's best friend? Why don't I just bring his Dad as my date?",

Her smirk widened, "Well do you think he'd come? Neil is kinda...",

Ugh. My face shrivelled, "He's old",

"Come on He's like 37. He's short but that man has an ass you c—",

"Shut—The fuck", I couldn't even speak over the full body shudder.

"He's no Dean Morningstar",

"You're cracked", I spat.

"Please, you two have the only hot Dads in Hawkins. A girl can dream",

"A girl is about to be smacked upside her head",

"So Troy then?",

I shook my head, speaking finally, "What are you wearing to Prom, anyway?",

She perked up at the question, sitting straighter in the chair. "I found this black lace dress with a corset bodice that makes the girls look amazing", She motioned to her breasts, "It's extremely high class",

I laughed through my nostrils, "I bet",

And as I looked at Steve his sight lingered to where she'd gestured to. I mean she had big breasts for her body, he was probably imagining it.

"Close your mouth", I scolded, lightly punching his arm.

"Sorry, I was day dreaming", He spoke quickly, rubbing that spot where I'd tapped him.

"Yeah, About titties", Prue laughed, getting up from her seat. His brown eyes followed the whole way. Until she reached the water cooler.

"So, Uh—How are you doing?", He spoke as soon as she was out of range. I didn't really know how to answer that.

"I'm a mess, ask me next week though", I laughed under my breath.

"You're looking a little...malnourished", He thought on the words, speaking them so carefully.

"Yeah, I know. Dad said if I don't start forcing myself to eat he'll hook me up to a feeding tube. So...",

"Meds?",

"Little bit of column A. Little bit of column B",

"What can you eat?", Steve asked, "Like keep down, I mean",

"Bread is good. Like the squishy sponge cakes. Jelly is good. Custard is very good. Apples are not good. Crackers are good.",

"Geez, you sure you're not pregnant?",

Prue met my eyes at the question, her stare softening from afar. She opened her mouth to reply but I silenced her with own glare. I didn't need her to butt in. I was okay...kinda.

I hesitated for a second, wondering if I could tell him about my health scare. "Unless the kid can dodge blood work and a full body scan I want to say no",

"I mean it's half you.",

"Shut up", I snickered, kicking his sneaker.

"Okay, so we just have to force feed you a trifle a day. It's got the cake, the jelly, the custard.",

"All the nutrients?",

"Yah", He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Seriously though, do you want to go to the bakery after school? I feel like cake now",

"Sounds good, is this invite only or can I ask Prue too?",

"I mean it won't kill me if she's not there.",

"I thought you liked her?",

"Me? No way", He scoffed, running his hand through his hair.

"Okay...",

"I mean invite her if you want. I don't care",

"Kinda sounds like you do",

"No, it's just like, She's always talking. And She's small And...mean",

"I'm getting mixed messages, Steve. Yes or no on the invite?",

"You can ask her, but she probably won't wanna go", He shrugged.

Prue walked back to the table with a paper cup of water, spilling a drop on the desk as she sat.

"Nice one", Steve clapped sarcastically.

"Fuck off, dweeb",

"You wanna go to the bakery after school?", I asked her.

"Um, yes", She answered like it was stupid to even ask.

"Thought you wanted to fit in that dress?", Steve snickered, taking a swig from his water bottle.

"I'm taking a seperate car to you", She grunted.

"Take a separate bakery",

"Guys, C'mon.", I held up my hands In surrender. "Enough of the fighting. We've got bigger problems...which actually brings me back to our demon issue.",

"What?", They both asked in unison.

"We need an agent to watch the school tonight. It's the two week anniversary of Paul's death and a full moon...let's just say if anything is coming back for us from the Underground tonight is the night. I'd do it but I'm no use if I do find anything",

"Ugh, Si, you know I hate the spooky stuff. It's going to be dark and scary.", She whined, looking at me with the saddest eyes.

"Take Steve", I suggested.

"I have better things to do than lurk around these halls at midnight.",

"Yeah, Sierra, he has a bedtime", She snickered. "You'd need a note from his mom",

"I can ask Troy but I'm pretty sure he's on another job.",

"Ooh, alone in the dark with Troy.", She smirked, thinking on it.

I continued if only to get her to agree "The lights go out, it's scary. You'll be having sex on a desk in no time",

"Deal", She spoke quickly with that dumb grin.

"Hate to break it to you, but Troy specifically said he was out on assignment tonight", Steve leaned forward to speak.

"Steve?", I pleaded.

"Fine, I'll go patrolling with little miss pee her pants.", He rolled his eyes in disdain, crossing his legs.

"Yeah, Steve, Buddy, She's going to have a gun so you're going to want to dial down the sarcasm", I warned, folding up that paper on the desk.

"I can also run faster, little boy",

"Even with the arthritis? What a hero",

"Can someone come get their child? He's bothering me. Sierra, do you have Mrs Harrington's number? It's really irresponsible to leave her kid running around. Who knows what sort of danger he could get himself in?", Her neck tilted with her taunt.

"Okay, you two have fun now", I held my head with the migraine that bounced around my skull. "Meet you guys in the carpark",

"You good, Si?", Prue asked with narrowed eyes, her whole face softening.

"Yeah. Yeah. Major headache. I've got Aspirin in my car though",

"Okay, we'll be out in half an hour. I've still gotta swing by football practice", Prue smiled gently.

"You mean perv on all the shirtless guys?", Steve added

"Obviously",

I gave her a thumbs-up before legging it to the exit. It was still within school hours so the halls were virtually abandoned except for the seniors who hung around the lockers. Tommy, Dean and Sam. Their group of misfits. They all sort of hung on the bench outside of the principal's office.

I walked by them with little regard as that headache bloomed on the front of my skull. They were too entranced in their conversation to notice anyway. I don't know what it was about but it was loud. Like a hammer slamming into my head. I held the side of my skull at Tommy's booming laugh that echoed off the walls and back to me.

Shit I needed water.

I turned back at the entrance doors, darting quickly across the hall to my grey locker. I put in the pin with blurred sight and grabbed my plastic bottle that was still half full. Closing the door soft enough that it didn't make a sound. Fuck. I sighed, I was really uncoordinated today. The stronger pain meds were really fucking messing with me. I was still on antibiotics for the cut on my face and this bullshit with my lungs. The old, weaker, meds stopped working, I got immune. But these ones made me feel like shit.

I groaned softly while walking back to the swinging doors. My fingers pinching the bridge of my nose. Fuck this headache.

I looked up to watch where I was going and my throat went dry.

My Ex-Fiancé and Kelsey were now standing next to Tommy across from my exit.

Fuck.

Where'd he even come from?

My heart dropped.

His arm was slung around Kelsey's scantly covered shoulders. His hand partially diving into her shirt. Sweeping her breast. It made my throat ache.

Talk about fuelling a rumour.

He really didn't care about me.

At all.

My stomach turned but I didn't stop walking . The memory of our last fight together kept playing in my mind. That I should've been grateful that he didn't cheat on me with Kelsey when she gave him the chance. And I pondered if I really needed that Aspirin.

But I did.

I really did.

So I walked, not too quickly or too slow. But urgent enough that no one would stop me. As I did I pulled out the bit of paper from the back pocket of my jeans and the pen in my jacket. Pretending to add to my notes. Maybe if I had my head down they wouldn't try to speak to me. If I looked busy.

I Almost made it too.

"Miss Morningstar, where would you be going during school hours?", Doris Johnson's shrill voice came from the principal's office. The noise made my teeth clamp together. Slowly I released the door and whirled around to her frown, pretending to absorb what she said for a moment as if I were that entranced on my scribbles, "Free period", I sighed, stuffing that paper into my pocket.

"Hmm, take these ones with you too on your way out, we are making far too much noise, boys.", She pointed to Tommy and his crew, every word dripping disgust.

"Won't happen again Mrs Johnson", Tommy saluted her, before wandering over to me. Green eyes looking me up and down before he strung his arm over my shoulder. "Where we going, Morningstar?", He smiled, kicking open those doors.

"Well, I'm going to my car. You pack of weirdos do what you want", I spoke, feeling his gaze on me as we walked out into the sun.

"Weirdos? I mean who's a Satanist to judge?",

I smiled weakly, exhaling a sharp breath.

"What's the weather like at your place?", He asked randomly. Continuing to walk after his group had taken occupancy on the concrete.

"Same as yours",

"How do you clear the snow from the driveway? I haven't found a way that sticks",

I don't think it had ever snowed here.

"Salt",

"Ooohhh", He smirked,

"You don't have to do this you know?", I sighed, walking across the carpark.

"What's that?",

"Run damage control",

He didn't say anything but opened his mouth to speak three times before I reached my car, "Yeah, I kinda miss hanging out with you, Si. You and Prue left our group when...The thing happened", Tommy took his arm off my shoulder, watching me unlock the driver's door. I opened it then dug through the centre console for my aspirin. "Not like I had a choice", I grunted, opening the bottle in my hand. I popped out three tablets and swallowed them with my water. Quickly cranking down the window to rid some of that residual heat which radiated from the leather seats.

"Oh, I thought you broke up with him", He spoke slowly, stuffing his hands in his dark jacket. I laughed in response while tossing my water bottle and those aspirin on to the passenger seat. He flinched as the door slammed shut.

"He tell you that?", I narrowed my stare.

"He hasn't said anything. You just stopped sitting with us one day. I assumed.", Tommy shrugged innocently.

"He wanted his freedom. I wasn't part of that",

"Nah, I give him a week",

"To live?",

"No. Before he realises", He smirked, stroking the black alloy of my bull bar.

"Realises what?",

"He can't pick up where he left off. Chasing loose women and getting into fights.",

"It Looks like he's already picked up where he left off", I scoffed, crossing my arms

"No. No. No. Listen, He's smart but he's stupid. You got his ass accustomed to a level of luxury he's not going to get from the hoe bags around here...He fucked up. We can all admit that",

"Men like him don't want to be loved. They want to be spat on and kicked to the ground. And I'm not going to stop him from doing that",

"He gonna realise.",

"And it's going to be too late, Tommy Lee.", I bit, this wasn't anyone's business. Yet everyone felt entitled to know it. To ask why we weren't together.

"Yeah, I bet you're sick of hearing about it, its all the gossip I've heard, lately"

"I can handle gossip but it sucks more that he ended up with the best friend he told me not to worry about",

He sighed before speaking again, leaning a bit closer, "I don't think they're actually together, Si",

"Why?",

"Because Kelsey only appears when you do",

"Oh, so they're both just psychopaths?",

"I think she's more of an alligator preying on a wounded deer...Now that I know he broke up with you, Si, I'll kick his ass for trying to make you jealous...It's fucked up",

"As much as I'd like to see that, Tommy, it won't change anything",

"I'll set his car on fire, you name it",

"Tommy!", Sam snuck up behind him and poked his sides. It barely got a reaction from him, "Hey, Sierra", He nodded, speaking again to Tommy, "We're ditching, going down to the lake, you coming?",

"Yeah. Yeah", He swatted Sam away, trying to remember what we'd be taking about.

"Go, Tommy Lee", I smiled weakly, tapping his shoulder.

"They can wait a minute", He murmured in a softer voice. Sam got the hint and raised his hands in surrender. Wandering over to the group that lingered by Billy's black Camaro. I missed that car second to it's driver. More than he'd ever know. And as Billy tossed Kelsey the keys I felt a pang of hurt.

"I—", My sight dove to the tread of my tyre, "I've gotta go",

Static rang out over my radio before Tommy could respond. Garbled voices. My head snapped to the sound. Probably too quickly.

"Dad's a cop", I shrugged to ease his mind. Even here It was weird for anyone who wasn't a trucker to have a CB radio in their car.

"That would explain why it'd be in your Dad's car, not yours", His eyes narrowed teasingly.

"Okay, you got me. I'm on the run and I need it to hijack the police frequencies",

"Ooh, what did you do?", He smirked in that stirring way he did when he was telling a tale.

"Tax evasion",

"And they let you out of their sight to begin with? After that horrendous crime? It's like I'm looking at Ted Bundy with boobs."

"What can I say, it's in the crime",

"Evasion?",

"Yahtzee", I chuckled, turning on my heel.

"I'm making sure you leave before I do, Bundy", His voice echoed behind me while I hauled myself into the driver's seat.

"Why? You already told me where you're going?",

"Shit...", Tommy snickered, tapping the side of my door before his figure retreated back to those group of boys around Billy Hargrove's car.

When he was gone I rolled up my window, switching on my ignition. The radio whirred and crackled. I caught the end of a broadcast over our Agent's channel. But because anyone could access it we had to speak in code.

"—Domestic Disturbance Delta Three Micheal Zero November—Bird Street.",

"Micheal Zero November? MON...Delta three...D E. Demon.", I sighed, leaning back into the head rest. This was going to ruin my plans. Domestic disturbance wasn't anything major though. Just a sweep through. I mean, I was the only spare Agent. The only useless one at least. I pressed down the receiver then released it again three times, speaking finally, "Agent 513774, responding"

Bird road...There wasn't one. There was however a bird aviary outside of town that had long since gone out of business. The radio crackled to life again in my thought.

"House number 9473",

"10 4", I replied again.

9473.

Gale.

Gale road.

"Shit",

In my hesitance I glanced down to my grey singlet and bomber jacket. There was no way I could wear this on a job. So I got out of the truck and opened the back door, searching my duffel for my black long sleeved shirt to put on instead. I slipped my jacket off my shoulders and tore the singlet over my head. School was still in session so no one else was in the carpark. But I still donned that slick black shirt quickly. Throwing my thigh holster onto the floor of my passenger seat. When it was on I closed the back door.

Raising my sight as my fingers curled around the driver's door handle again. For a fleeting second I held Billy's eyes from the side of his car. As if he knew what I was doing.

Too bad it wasn't his job to care anymore.

I got into my car without protest, leaving that forsaken carpark just as quickly.

—————

I fucked up.

What else could I say?

I shouldn't have gone when I knew I wasn't feeling well. While I was recovering.

I fucked up and got glassed.

Because it wasn't a demon lurking in that abandoned aviary it was group of drugged out teens. Let's just say they didn't respond positively to being told to move on. And I ended up vomiting at the side of my car after one of the pricks broke a bottle over my skull before they ran. Laughing every step of the way.

Crimson trickled down my face like a beautiful waterfall spewing blood. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I groaned while starting my truck. Almost forgetting to put it in gear. My fingers curled around the stick, coating it in a layer of red.

With each movement I could feel the glass embedded in my skin, my cheek and eye. This was bad. Really bad.

"Redfield", I called over the radio, my slick fingers struggling to hold down the receiver. Fuck. I was gonna pass out.

"This is Redfield",

"513774, Agent wounded.",

"513774, awaiting instructions",

"I'm inbound. Ten minutes", I ground out, pressing that accelerator to the floor.

"434530, Passmore is on his way to the hospital, Babygirl. Hold tight.", Dad's voice shot through the car.

Not Troy. I groaned.

By that time my whole body was shaking. Nearing the stage of going into shock. That hospital was a damned blur as I pulled into the emergency bay.

Redfield took one look at me and sucked the air in between her teeth.

"We need a stretcher", She called to her nurses and they ran to get one.

"Sierra", Her hand slipped under my chin and I winced against it, "Follow my light",

Brightness burned in my eyeballs. I couldn't follow that.

"Shit", Redfield swore, "What happened, sweetheart?",

"Fucking crackheads", I swore, closing my eyes. Everything hurt. My whole face felt swollen and bruised. "Not Demons",

"You shouldn't have gone alone, not with what's been going on. It was reckless and now look what's happened. Christ, look at your face",

"Better me than one of you", I murmured through a clenched jaw while she prodded around my cheek.

"Well malicious compliance will only get you killed, now stop talking. We've gotta get you on this stretcher and clean you up. I imagine this will go down like a goddamned segmented razor with Dean?",

"Yeah",

"Excellent, that's something I didn't need today. Arguing with Two Morningstars",

She snuck me in through the side of the building without another word and placed the bed into one of those private examination rooms. Where she picked glass out of my face for an hour while I tried not to vomit.

Dad was out thankfully still too far away when Redfield called, in his place Troy Passmore stared back at me with crossed arms while I sat there getting glued back together. His gaze would've burned holes if he tried any harder.

Great.

He waited until Redfield was gone to say anything. Waited until I got up off the stretcher to grab my bloodstained jacket.

"What is wrong with you?", He asked firmly in his black suit get up.

"We don't have time for that list, Passmore", I groaned while slipping on that grey bomber. Everything hurt. I felt like I'd given four bags of blood from the sheer lightheadedness of standing.

"Are you gunning to be fired? Because Jameson is one more reckless action from you away from terminating any future you have, Sierra", He half whisper and shouted.

"Ew, don't call me Sierra", My face shrivelled, reminding me quickly of the state of my face. "Ow",

Hard eyes watched me wipe away a trickle of blood from my brow. Swallowing softly.

"How did this happen?",

"Wine bottle and a crack addict with a hell of a swing",

"Why were you even there?",

"Uh, because I got a call",

"There were no calls",

I motioned to my face that begged to differ, "Gale road. Demons. As clear as day",

"Agent Morningstar. There were no Agency calls",

"So it was a trap?", I exhaled.

"They probably weren't expecting a CIA Agent.",

"Why would anyone do that?",

"Joy ride in a cop car. Guns. Keys. Police frequencies.", He shrugged.

"Excellent", I groaned, holding onto the world's worst migraine, "I'm glad my headache is for nothing",

"That's why we travel with our assigned partners. We don't go off like Clint Eastwood guns blazing.",

"Yeah. Yeah",

"For the love of all that is good, We're dealing with a demon that wants us dead. Don't you get that?",

"Shhh", I held my finger to my lips to get him to stop talking. My eyes shutting. His voice was too low in frequency, it felt like my teeth were rattling in my skull.

His jaw clenched but he did. For a second, "Redfield is getting you some meds to help with the pain. I'll drop you home.",

"I can drive", I replied,

"It wasn't a question, Kid",

"I bet", I exhaled,

"Dean's going to tear you a new one",

"I don't doubt that", My eyes rolled for the lack of being able to do anything else without wincing.

His expression softened, some of that Southern accent coming through, running his hand through his short hair, "Do You want coffee and a cream donut before he does?",

My lips quirked softly. I can't believe he remembered. I lived off cream and jam filled donuts when I was a kid in Nashville.

I commented with delay, "Only if you're paying",

"Come on now, I nearly had a damned aneurysm seeing the newly red painted inside of your Truck half an hour ago, Hobgoblin. It's the least you can do",

"Wow", my hand clasped my chest dramatically, "No, it's okay, It just feels like I'm being glassed all over again",

He breathed out a defiant sigh, "Fine",

"I want a burger too".

"Okay", He nodded softly while holding open the door.

"And a Juice", I added while walking to it.

"Okay",

I stopped halfway through the door just to piss him off. My chin lining with my shoulder, "And a Milkshake",

"Fine", He nodded again, that worried expression never leaving his face as he looked at me, short of grimacing,

"And a smile",

His brows raised, dimples poking through his hard ass exterior. His hand ran through his short hair while he spoke, "Just stay below the 15,000 limit on the card and you can buy the whole menu",

My eyes rolled again, "Aww, stop, I'll blush",

"You're not walking to the car either",

"Why's that?", I shot back, grimacing as he held my jaw between two of his fingers. Hazel eyes looking over my various cuts and stitches. It bled more than what it was. I was grateful for that.

A soft laugh left his lips, the scent of his mint gum slamming into my face, "Because you're the colour of paper",

"I'm always the colour of paper, Passmore", I replied, lowering his hand.

"Wheelchair or I toss you over my shoulder like a goblin?",

"Try bitch",

"Come on now", Troy ushered me out of the doorway.

"No walking!", Redfield scolded from the reception desk, rushing towards us with a bag in her hand, "You make sure she takes it easy. She lost a lot of blood, hence no walking long distances or driving for at least 24 hours. Force feed her these if you have to. Two with food every 12 hours.", She spoke to Troy, handing him a bag of drugs.

"What am I? A paperweight?", I scoffed, taking that paper bag out of his hand.

"No walking", Redfield reinstated firmly to him, "Wheelchairs are to the right"

I watched her walk away with a frown, taking three steps.

"I'm not being seen dead in a wheelchair.",

"Too bad", Troy exhaled before my legs were swept out from beneath me. A gasp left my lips as I was carried Like a goddamned newlywed.

"This is abduction", I hissed, clawing his shoulder. People in the waiting room were staring.

"Yeah, I'll look for your face on a milk carton", He replied sternly while striding through the automatic doors to the carpark.

"I'll scream",

"It wouldn't be an abduction without it, Morningstar",

"Dickwad", I huffed, moving my arm around his shoulder.

"Dirty G string", He shot back.

Oh really?

"Crusty rag",

"Salty ass cheek",

I laughed out of my nostrils while he placed me on the hood of his black SUV. Unlocking the door.

"Salty ass cheek", I murmured. That was gold.

"Come on now, I'm not putting you in the car", Troy teased. I'm sure he would've if I milked it long enough.

"Oh no, how will I live?", I scoffed, sliding off the bonnet.

He held the door open as I lifted myself into the passenger seat, doing my seat belt. His tall figure Hovering hesitantly in the door, "You got lucky, Kid", He commented, motioning to my swollen face.

I knew that. Anyone with eyes knew that.

Oh god, he knelt beside the car, speaking, "But that luck is gonna run out, and if I were you, I'd take some leave to sort out whatever made you think you were invincible today...Deal with the loss first then all the bullshit in between ",

He knew. Of course he did. Dad and him were goddamned twins. One thing I didn't want was Troy knowing my business. He was my Ex best friend's older brother. We grew up together. It was...yucky.

I didn't even want him to think William and I ever did it let alone...it was just gross.

"It was one bad call", I shot back.

"For now...but what if it was Prue that got glassed . Or Me, or Dean? We can't afford to make bad calls in demon central",

No shit.

"You're really good at the guilt trip, Passmore", I groaned, leaning my head into the seat. "Leave something for Dad",

"I want you to want to live", He repeated those words I'd heard the first time he came to Hawkins, my neck tilted at the words, "I can see it, Kid. That look in your eye when you begin to think you are expendable...The world didn't end with Jack and it's not going to end with William Hargrove",

I looked away from him, my eyes heating with the words as I looked over the carpark.

Fuck him.

It sure felt like it was going to end... it really did. That's why I couldn't be Sierra right now. I needed to be Agent Morningstar or I wouldn't survive the breakup.

He clasped my hand softly, "I'll never know how it feels to lose a part of yourself like that but you can talk to me, I'll never snub my most loyal admirer",

"Fuck off", I scoffed, taking my hand back, to hide the stinging tears, "The crush wore off the second you brought Annalise Geofferies home",

"What was wrong with Anna?",

"She called me a fat cow",

"Why'd you copy her then?",

"She was bitch but she was pretty", I sighed, "Too pretty for your goofy lookin ass",

"Come on now, don't make up lies",

"Fine, she wasn't pretty", I snickered, watching him rise.

"Don't laugh, Dean tried to marry you off to me five years ago",

My eyes rolled, "Yeah, he's a big fan of Beauty and the Beast",

"Shucks, thank you", Troy smirked, "But I'd call you a feral Goblin more than a Beast",

"Just get in the car," I groaned, holding my head in my hands.

————-

When I got home Dad was pissed. Then he was something torn between upset and grateful. And I didn't blame him. That first day my whole face was swollen and bruised. Luckily most of the deeper cuts were in my hairline and Redfield managed to glue them shut. As well as the slit in my brow.

There was a thin red line down my cheek from the impact of the jagged broken bottle against my skin. But I know the young girl who did this cut herself in the process. I saw the blood spurting out of her palm and wrist. For a slice that deep she'd need medical attention or she'd bleed out. Redfield was waiting for her to show her face. So was my Dad. But after hearing nothing for two days I gathered that I wasn't going to.

I took those two days off school. For obvious reasons. But that's not to say Prue didn't drive to my house to verbally abuse me for both ditching her and going on that job. But you know what? It took my mind off Billy.

The rapid decline of that job. And the aftermath. For a few hours I didn't think about him. Maybe I should've thanked the shifty bitch that gave me the worst headache in the world.

———

Nothing changed when I was back at school. Except that I noticed a Red-Headed girl wandering the side of the road after the asylum had let out on my first day back.

I pulled over on the shoulder of the highway, wondering why her brother didn't pick her up from school.

She noticed it was me and got stiff as I wound down my window.

"Whatcha doing, Max?", I asked, watching her wipe under her eyes. She stopped walking but didn't look at me while she tightened the straps on her backpack.

"He kicked me out of his car", Max nodded, getting upset at the words. I pressed my lips together. I wasn't sure I had anything to say that would make her feel better.

"You still drink coffee?", I asked, tapping my hand against the steering wheel. Blue eyes lifted to me slowly and she nodded again.

"Get in, my treat", I offered, opening the passenger door from the inside.

"I eat pie too", She commented as she came around to that side.

"You run a tough bargain",

Max shrugged and hauled herself up into the cab. Placing her bag by her feet. I waited until her seatbelt was done up before merging back on to the highway. And in my peripheral vision I saw her look at me once and then again.

"Your face is messed up",

I smiled softly, pain blossoming in both my brow and cheek. Pulling at that glued together skin. It was still a little bruised. Even with my glasses shielding most of the gore I could see it. Which means everyone else did too.

The Crowbar wielding maniac, Stacy Messner, even asked about it. Not to my face of course. But through her minions. Who tried to get information where they could.

Rumour was that I'd tried to kill myself and failed. Or that I survived a car crash.

But Prue and Steve were pretty solid. They didn't let it slip.

"Yeah", I looked away from the rear view mirror and back on the road, "I got glassed by a twelve year old crackhead",

"What?", She both asked and laughed in the same breath, turning to me in her seat.

"It was my fault I'm not supposed to be taking jobs at the moment because of that thing I told you about.",

"What happened?",

"Got the call about a potential sighting at the bird Aviary. Went In. Had a look. Apparently its a popular place to do drugs. I mean why else would you glass someone holding a gun?",

"Why didn't you shoot her?",

"Little bitch got me while they were walking out of the netted doors. One second she was grumbling about getting in trouble, the next she just whirled around and clocked me with an empty wine bottle...Never seen someone run so fast",

"Oh.", Max nodded, sitting back in her seat.

"What about you? Why'd you get kicked out of the car?", I asked as we waited at the crossroads to turn left.

"He's been a real asshole lately. Like how he used to be but worse. Anything I do just pisses him off. I was a minute late from school because the teacher held us back and he lost his shit. I told him to stop being a psycho and he threw me out of the car.",

I nodded lightly, remembering how he was with me in the beginning. How I pulled over on this stretch of road and refused to ride with him any further. Six months ago he'd been a much different person.

"I get why you broke up with him", Max added, making my heart sink.

"I--Uh", I swallowed, "I didn't",

"What?", She replied just as quickly.

"He didn't want to be a part of this Demon stuff any more...I don't blame him", I breathed, merging on to the main road.

"That's bullshit", Max shook her head.

"He's a kid. He wants to stay that way for a while longer",

"He's a bitch", She corrected me, turning in her seat again. I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it anymore. It happened. Now I had to deal with the fall out. "But if it helps, some blonde, big boobed lady slapped him at the front door yesterday after they'd been fighting for like twenty minutes.", Max added.

"Helps a bit", I smiled softly while turning in to the café on main street. Being afterschool the carpark was pretty packed but I found a spot down the back. We didn't say much as we ordered our coffee and pie. Sitting down at a booth to eat and drink. There was some conversation about school and work but it was pretty much small talk. It's not like we could really discuss that one common interest we had in public. Demons and end of the world stuff.

When we got back in the car Max hit me with an odd sort of question. "If you die in Hawkins, what happens to your stuff?",

I started the ignition and let the engine idle for a bit as I thought on it. "I suppose it would go to my Dad, why? Do you have your eye on something?",

"This car would be cool", She responded as I reversed out of the parking space, carefully pulling out onto the main road again.

"Do you even know how to drive? I mean other than the few times we took the Camaro for a spin?", I asked with a smile, pulling on my glasses.

"I'm thirteen, not stupid. Dad taught me years ago", She explained, "And Billy actually taught me to drive his car once",

"Was he drunk?",

"He Got into a fight before picking me up from the mall", She shrugged, "He passed out in the backseat",

"Okay", I switched the indicator from right to left, turning onto the dirt roads out of town. We drove for about five minutes past all the farmlands before I turned the car around again. Coming to a stop on the side of the road. "You're up" I spoke before getting out of the cab. Max smirked, climbing over the seat while I walked around the passenger side. "Easy on the gas, don't want to get pulled over", I joked, getting into that side of the car.

She shook her head, looking around the dash for a minute then down to the gear shifter. We made it onto the road with little more than a bunny hop. But she was pretty good. Very cautious. We rode slowly through third gear. I helped her find it because of that odd placement. Any other gear was no problem. But between the heavy clutch and that roughness of it, it was a lot of pressure to get right. And she was trying very hard not to screw up. I could see that in the redness of her cheeks or the light wobble of her knee as she pressed in the clutch. But she was enjoying herself. After a bit a just sat back and lulled my hand out the window. Feeling the breeze on my skin. This backroads were quiet. There was one car that we pulled over for but for the rest of the ride back to town it was easy going.

"Bit different to the Camaro, Huh?", I spoke once she'd gotten a feel for the gears. It helped to only have to focus on one thing at a time.

"Yeah, It's cool", She scoffed.

"Don't like the fast cars?", I was surprised by her.

"Not after driving with Billy",

"Yeah, I like the bigger cars better too. Although I used to haul horse floats and trailers with Dad's last truck in Tennessee.",

"I like the sound of diesel engines", She added, changing down a gear as we came to a stop sign.

"Yeah, I do to.", I smiled, watching her face that concentrated so immensely on not stalling as we took off again.

"I don't have rich parents to buy me an expensive car though.",

"You don't want an expensive car as your first. Because that thing is going to get dinged and scratched like there's no tomorrow. And if you look closely on that Camaro you'll see lines of mismatched black paint on the driver's door, bumper and tailgate.",

"That's not even his first car", Max commented lightly. "He totalled the other one two years ago and fucked up his knee",

"Then why'd Neil buy him another one?",

"He didn't. His Mom left him money when she left that Neil can't touch. He was so pissed",

"Left? I thought she died?",

"No",

"Then who's urn is on your mantle?",

"Grandma's",

"Wha—How'd he buy it without Neil's approval?", I asked. He was too young to purchase a car without parental signature. Max hesitated a minute before answering.

"Billy's aunt was his legal guardian after his Mom gave up her rights. She signed the paperwork. And Neil couldn't do anything. He wasn't on the birth certificate...Billy didn't have Hargrove as a last name until the assault charge.",

"Oh", I exhaled. He never told me that.

"But the aunt was really strict so he came to live with us and its been just the worst",

"Yeah, he's got a thing with authority", I nodded, tossing my sight to her.

"I was so happy when I found out you were a cop at the hospital. I didn't stop smiling for days. The asshole finally got taken down a peg", Max smiled at the memory.

"He was so mad", I couldn't help but laugh at the sheer demented nature of it. Of how she described it. "I dead set thought he was going to clock me when he found out",

"What did he do?",

"Called me a whore then pretty much left",

"That's so mature for him", Max commented as she pulled over to the side of the road where the rich houses started in Hawkins. That dirt turning into smooth asphalt.

"He had his moments", I sighed, remembering that night at the asylum. And as I got out of the passenger side I glanced over to the creepy house beside us. This huge Victorian Gothic style home that was a deep grey-blue colour with white accents. It would've been beautiful if wooden slats didn't board up the arched windows and the garden wasn't overgrown across the footpath. Overall it gave me a really icky feeling.

"We going or what?", Max popped her head out of the window impatiently.

"Yeah.", I tore my sight away from the house, looking back once more before I got back in the car. "Shit, you should've been home two hours ago", I realised quickly when I glanced down to my watch...well Billy's old watch.

It was only a fifteen minute drive back to the Hargrove's house. But that whole time I was stuck on that girl that slammed a bottle into my face. I wondered if her friends had left her to bleed out at the Aviary.

Dad scoured it head to toe but didn't find that raggedy group of crackheads. Which meant they were probably wandering around Hawkins. They were so fucked up on drugs if they'd found Max on the side of that road...I didn't want to imagine what they'd do.

Fuck this town.

Demons and Crackheads.

It sounded like the worst game ever,

But as I veered into that red cobbled driveway I saw Susan and Neil frantically arguing there. The black Camaro was there with no sign of its driver. They both looked up when they noticed my truck. The same sort of expression on their faces. Relief when they saw Max get out of the passenger side. I turned off the engine and got out too. Amidst Susan's strangling hug on Max I spoke.

"Found this one on the side of the road",

"Thank you, Sierra.", Susan grasped my wrist tightly as Max wormed out of her embrace. Her Mom hugged me instead, parting to speak but still holding on to my shoulders. "I was so worried—", Blue eyes narrowed on my brow and she stopped speaking. Neil looked where she was with crossed arms.

"What happened to you?", He grunted, almost smiling.

"Uh—That was going to be my next point. You can't let Max walk alone on these streets. I got glassed two days ago by a twelve year old crackhead on Gale street.",

"What were you doing on Gale street?", Neil pressed with furrowed brows.

"Moving on some teenagers who were shooting up in the old bird aviary",

"Why would you need to do that?", He continued.

"It doesn't matter, Neil.", Susan scolded, "What matters is that there is a violent gang of drug addicts wandering Hawkins...You need to speak to your son",

Neil looked at me then to Max with a pissed off sort of expression. Queuing her departing steps.

"That little asshole does what he wants. How will me speaking to him help?",

"He doesn't listen to me, Neil. He thinks I'm the evil step mother.", Susan frustratedly flung her hands, obviously sick of his behaviour.

"You could be nicer", Neil sneered, in that same shit stirring way Billy did. "You're sounding like a bit of a bitch right now to me",

"That's because you're not listening", I intervened, expressing my own frustrations at his pure ignorance. "Susan isn't the problem",

I know I shouldn't have gotten involved. I shouldn't have said anything amidst their marital spout. But he pissed me off. Just like he always did.

He was just so effortlessly an asshole.

"Why are you still here? I thought you dumped my son?", He questioned, angling his neck in a very nasty manner.

"I didn't dump your son", I sighed, watching his smile widen to just this menacing grin. I don't know why I felt the need to correct anyone on the matter. Why they needed to know.

"I'm sorry", Susan nodded weakly, pressing her lips together. "I was hoping you two would work out. He seemed to really love you",

"Doesn't really matter", I shrugged, "I'm leaving for California in five weeks anyway",

"Figures, he gets a girlfriend with an actual future and fucks it up", Neil grumbled under his breath.

I swallowed, looking down to the red cobbles under my boots. "Neil", Susan sighed, lightly nudging his shoulder.

"What? He's a fuck up. It's what he does. Fucks things up",

I blinked at him once then twice. Nothing nice coming to mind. So I looked over to Susan, opening my mouth to speak but Neil's voice drowned out anything that came to mind.

"Here comes the fuck up now.", He murmured, speaking the next words louder like one would to a dog, "Get here, boy",

I leaned into my bull bar as that denim clad figure approached begrudgingly from the front door.

"Tell me why Sierra found your sister on the side of the road", Neil grunted when Billy was close enough. Stepping closer to him. I didn't look at them. But I could feel his green eyes on me. He knew better than this. He knew what lingered here.

It was better Neil screamed at him than me.

"She wanted to walk", Billy responded,

"Why?", Neil pressed, getting closer.

"How the fuck would I know, she's not my kid?",

I watched Neil grab his collar, flinching as he pulled him forward and turned him to me, gathering Billy under his arm as he hissed in his ear. "Your Ex-Girlfriend got glassed by a drug addict a street away from where you left Max. Do you think it was safe or responsible for you to leave a thirteen year old on the side of the road?",

"No", Billy ground out,

"Then you're going to go inside that house and apologise to your sister, do you understand me?",

"I'm not apologising to her.", He scoffed, even under his Dad's murderous glare. I watched Neil's fingers dig into Billy's shoulder, his teeth grinding together from the obvious discomfort.

"That's enough, Neil", I piped up, my hand curling around the bull-bar in my anger.

But he didn't cease that stronghold on his son that made Billy's jaw clench In pain.

"Let him go", I demanded in a monotonous voice. To his credit Neil did let him go with a violent shove into the side of my bull-bar. That ring whirring on the metal as Billy tried to catch himself. I saw blazing red. But it all faded when my elbow made contact with Neil's jaw. When he stumbled back onto the cobbles holding his mouth. His taunting smirk never faltering. Even as he spoke through blood laced teeth. Not to me but to his son who held onto his ribs. Watching it all with awe.

"You should've fucking married that one, dumbass", He spat maliciously, the words made Billy's throat bob. And I watched him push himself off the side of my car and get into that Camaro. Not a word uttered between us.

The engine started as Neil was picking himself up off the ground and he was gone not a few seconds later. Roaring up the road. What a surprise. He let me deal with the fallout. The bullshit. He didn't want to handle it.

"Sierra", I heard a familiar voice call. And Neil's bloodied face dropped from that murderous glare. His fists uncurled. "Where have you been. I've been trying the radio all afternoon?", Dad's figure appeared in the driveway. Blue eyes shifting between the three of us.

"Neil. Susan", He greeted through that confused expression, throwing his arm over my shoulder. "What's going on?",

"We were just thanking Sierra for dropping Max home. Weren't we, darling?", Susan responded quickly. Neil scoffed, wiping his lip. "Yeah, great kid you got there.",

"Thank you, Neil. Doesn't take any bullshit does she?", Dad smirked, tilting his gaze.

"It's a real shame the kids didn't work out", Neil taunted, tossing his arm over Susan's shoulder. He pulled her close. "I was looking forward to more guns in my house",

From day one that Desert Eagle lived in the Camaro. Billy knew better than to fuck with his Dad.

"Let's go, Baby", Dad urged me towards my car, waiting for me to leave before he followed after in that black sedan. I didn't go after Billy. I guess I had to get used to not doing things like that. I had to let him make his own choices.

He didn't want me. I had to move on.

From him.

From us.

————————————

They say bad things come in threes. But for me the bad things came and kept coming.

My day started like any other. I woke up, ate breakfast and went to school. The day before My Truck got a nail in a tyre so I swapped cars with Dad. There were some priceless looks when I rocked up to school In a blacked out SUV.

Aside from that It had been a good day after the Art class and my Science class got merged together so Prue and I got a chance to do no work. Then Kelsey Heiss showed up to Maths with a huge cold sore on her mouth and accidentally slammed her hand in her desk. I didn't know what I did to deserve such an enjoyable school day. Even the cafeteria served trifle at lunch.

After lunch was when it all went to hell.

During History the emergency alarm sounded through the classroom. Like there was a nuclear bomb about to explode. We had a quarterly fire drill so it wasn't unusual for them to test it. We all thought that was all it was until the sprinklers above us spluttered to life. Mrs Seery rushed us out of the classroom and to the sports field with her keys jangling behind her. The hall was a mad house with students screeching and trying to get out of the building. But we made it onto the grass and It was there in our neat little lines that we saw the fire trucks and the police cars surrounding the school.

Black smoke came from the carpark in plumes and caught some of the surrounding trees on fire that led to the school entrance.

It was demanded then that we sit down to lessen our exposure to the smoke. So we sat on that itchy grass and we waited. For ten minutes we waited.

Then half an hour.

All the while I could see Prue two lines across from me sharing my same expression. The smoke came from a very close location to where I parked. And my heart started to race. Were the cars on fire? Had there been an explosion?

Parents had been called to pick up their children. Some had already come and gone.

Then I saw Troy Passmore sauntering across the sports field. Although it didn't look like Troy. I don't know what he'd been smoking but he'd showed up wearing dark jeans, a black v neck shirt and a leather jacket. Accompanied by combat boots and a silver necklace. Like if he'd woken up and said 'I want to be a biker today'.

Please don't be here for me. I pleaded.

Take Prue.

Take Steve.

But his shadow cast over my cross legged form.

"Ive been looking everywhere for you, Hobgoblin", He spoke quickly, looking over the field with his dark glasses framing his face. And I knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Hobgoblin was our code word for shit hitting the fan.

Goddamn it.

So I got up without protest, shrinking as he placed a gentle kiss on my lips and ushered me out of the field with his arm strung over my shoulder.

"What's going on Passmore?", I asked with wide eyes. But I didn't have to wait for an answer as we rounded the side of the administration building. It was there in the carpark that I saw Dad's car in flames. Just the shell of it remained.

"Debra Thomas. She's in Hawkins. Got transferred to Hawkins Memorial Hospital a month ago", He spoke without looking at me. And I felt my chest close in on itself.

Perfect, beautifully composed Doctor Debra Thomas.

Mother of Jack Thomas.

The boyfriend Dean killed.

"Where's Dad?", I asked in panic.

"Relax", Troy spoke while lighting up a cigarette in front of William's Camaro, his hand pulling me forward by the belt loop, "She ain't after Dean",

As he said the words he leaned into the bonnet and I began to understand. Debra wanted to hurt William. "She might have patient files but I know she's been asking Susan about him. Which tells me she doesn't know what he looks like.", He murmured while blowing smoke out of his nostrils, the same way William did.

Had.

I swallowed hard, barely uttering, "What if she does?",

I couldn't leave him alone. Unguarded on that field.

He was an open target.

"Johnson and Redfield are tailing him. Come on now pretend you're upset that your car is in flames",

Fuck. The car.

I turned to it, my eyes welling for completely different reasons. It felt like I couldn't Breathe while I watched black smoke envelop the sky. The fire department did all they could.

Fuck, I thought I'd left this all behind in Nashville. But now it had followed me here.

She followed me here. And if William got hurt it'd be my fault.

"Hey", Troy frowned, pulling me into his chest as the tears fell. "We'll be laughing about this tomorrow, Baby",

He knew someone was listening,

How did he imitate William so well ?

"The car's gone, what the fuck am I supposed to tell my Dad?!", I half whispered and yelled into his chest.

I didn't care about the car.

"Let's go home", He replied, stomping out his cigarette.

I wondered if he was planing to Hotwire the Camaro. Billy would be pissed.

My brows furrowed, "Uh—Sure",

"Keys are in my locker", Troy huffed, pretending to feel his pockets for them. I needed him to have a plan. I needed him to be my logic because I could barely think with my heart racing so fast. "Let's go", He whispered, throwing his arm around my shoulder.

What if she knew what William looked like?

He was blond. Troy had black hair. That alone was enough to make my heart sink.

What if.

What if.

Our steps echoed in the empty hall. I'd never seen it so dead.

The floors were flooded from the sprinklers. I had to watch my step.

Right. The locker.

He didn't have the code for the locker either.

He didn't need it.

"There's a glock in your locker, Kid. Use it", Troy whispered as the swinging doors flapped behind us. I hated this. Hated the sound of my boots slapping the wet floor.

Fuck,

We stopped next to it.

My fingers could barely stay steady long enough to unlock the damn thing. But it popped open finally. And I stared at that gun, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for his plan,

Bang.

Troy shuddered and collapsed beside me, holding his side.

No.

No.

No.

My hand reached for the glock.

Fuck.

In a second I dropped into a kneel and returned fire. Using myself as a shield between Debra and Troy.

A single bullet to the thigh took down the woman by the doors.

It wasn't about killing her. It was about disarming her enough to get to Troy on the ground. To find out the damage of his wound and pray he wasn't dead.

By that time gunfire surrounded me. Agents in tactical gear hurtling into the hall.

Debra was disarmed and on the ground in the few milliseconds it took me to catch my breath.

Fuck. Troy was still but I couldn't see blood. That hardly meant anything though. His insides could've been a splatter zone.

No. No. No.

My throat ached.

Not him.

"Troy!", I cried, slipping onto my ass against the wet floor to get to him.

When my knees gained traction I hauled him by the shoulders onto my lap.

"Relax, Kid, She got the Kevlar", He groaned, sitting upright. That son of a bitch scared the fuck out of me.

Goddamn my whole body was shaking.

"You fucking Hobgoblin! You Gave me a heart attack!", I swore to conceal the terrified tears that fell, smacking his shoulder.

He laughed in response. Coercing my sneer,

"I hope you bruise like shit", I swallowed, trying to ease the ache in my throat. My hand running through my hair. I thought he was dead. His eyes softened as he spoke insincerely, "Come on now, you know if you cry you'll get me going too",

A smirk crawled onto my lips as I wiped under my eyes with my sleeve, "Shut up",

Dimples creased in his cheeks at the nasty words, hazel eyes baring into my soul, "You did good",

My eyes met the hem of his black leather jacket, "You—Your Billy impression is...Terrifyingly...Nightmare inducingly accurate",

"Please. I was born to be a badass. Billy imitates me", He scoffed.

"I think that bullet went into your brain",

"Do you think it'll hurt my modelling career?",

"Your hand modelling career is safe", I got back to my feet.

I watched handcuffs get clicked onto Debra Thomas' wrists. She was on her knees and struggling against the Agent that restrained her. She looked so old now in the four years I hadn't seen her. What was once beautiful auburn hair now was an ashy grey. Hazel eyes now the colour of night.

Designer dresses swapped for jeans and plaid.

There was no soul in the creature that stared back at me.

No life.

I could only stare back.

"Why did you come for me?", I asked with Troy beside me.

"You destroyed my son! My boy! And now you're out here living like nothing ever happened. Well you're going to feel what I felt, Sierra. William is going to die and there's nothing you can do. How fast do you think you can run to the football field?", She laughed this taunting cackle. And my core turned to molten lava.

Fuck.

"Go", Troy urged, picking at the bullet lodged in his Kevlar at the side. My brows knitted together at the sight. I didn't want to leave him either. "I'm fine, Goblin, Go", He said again as that crumpled bullet fell into his gloved hand.

The world swayed around me as I ran through the doors beside me. My heart pounding in my ears as my boots clung to loose gravel. Run.

I begged.

Run.

Everyone had been evacuated from the field but I could see Prue on the bottom of the stands as I ran down the steel steps of the bleachers.

She was shielding Billy along with Agent Redfield from Jack Sr. He had some sort of shotgun. Something that would really fuck you up.

It was two glocks against that monstrosity. And they were cornered.

Negotiating.

"I just want the boy!", Jack repeated over and over. But they weren't giving him up.

I'm sure they didn't account for Prue and Redfield.

"Fuck it", I groaned as I slammed into Jack. Our bodies plummeting off the stand and onto the football field below.

The world shook as my shoulder hit the earth.

Headrush, I groaned, begging myself to stay down.

But I couldn't.

Instead I struggled to my feet with my glock raised in my hands.

"You", Jack spat, his gun was out of his reach. "You did this",

"Your son did this", I replied wearily, watching him stumble to his feet. Fuck that hurt.

"You're a murderer!"

"Jack tried to kill me, he got what he deserved!", I spat in return.

"You killed my son. My only son", His green eyes glistened in the afternoon sun. His chin quaking.

"You son was a fucking psychopath",

"You shut your whore mouth!",

Jack lunged for my gun, swatting my wrist hard enough for the weapon to go flying.

"That's all you were. A Whore!", He repeated, his elbow colliding with my mouth. I stumbled back from the force. My lip aching in protest.

He watched me swipe away the blood, lingering on every word I spoke, "I'd rather be a whore than Jack's whore",

"Get him, Si", Prue smiled from the stands above me, tossing me my Deagle.

Agents surrounded the field. Red dots settling on Jack's chest.

I caught the Deagle mid throw.

Jack jumped for the glock on the ground in response.

And with more grace than I had Troy leapt from the stands, hurtling in Jack. The two trading punches on the ground.

Troy had him pinned in seconds, he was a vastly bigger threat than me. Agents filing into the field. Taking away Jack in cuffs.

Troy wasn't one to use violence against...anyone, even though he was built like a battering ram. Especially now, in his older age. He truly took advantage of the free gym membership. I know I didn't.

"That was violent", I mused as Troy got off the ground, shaking grass off his leather jacket, "Are you going to have to go to confession after this? I'm pretty sure that was a sin",

"Oh, that hurt", His face shrivelled in pain on his approach, holding his side where that bullet had struck him.

"Arthritis playing up?",

"You're such a goblin", He laughed painfully, lifting my chin to see the split in my lip.

"Your cheek is all fucked up", I noted, examining the dark bruising there.

"It feels fucked up",

"Looks fucked up",

His dark brows furrowed, "You already said that",

"Yeah, but, I don't think you understand how mutated you look right now. Like a dropped nectarine", I snickered, wincing as he swiped away the blood on my chin.

"Don't be a rat",

I hissed at him in response, watching his dimples create creases in his cheeks.

"We make a good team, Kid. Keep my number for when Prue gets sick of you", He added.

"Get your own partner, Passmore", Prue sneered from beside me, hooking my shoulder, "Sierra Morningstar is mine. MINE",

My eyes widened, "I'll keep that in mind, Troy",

He hesitated at the words, I hadn't called him anything other than Agent Passmore for a long time. But he was too polite to bring it up. He bowed his head instead and followed after the other Agents.

"So", Prue said as we walked, "What was the kiss like?",

Different to William.

Sweet and endearing.

Excellent.

"Weird", I lied, rubbing the side of my arm.

"That's a shame, because if his sweatpants were telling me the truth then that boy is packing heat",

My face shrivelled at the words, "Eugh, why did you look?",

"Come on now, it just about jumped out and slapped me",

"...What were you doing?"

"I was early picking him up, he wasn't dressed yet,",

"I'm sure you hated that", My eyes rolled.

"Hey, I shot my shot with him, he wasn't interested",

That surprised me, "Really?",

"Yah, He must have a vow of celibacy",

"Oh, definitely", I snickered, "To reject you he must be a monk",

"Or gay", She added,

"Or only into she-beasts",

"Got Stacy's number?",

"Stacy Passmore has a ring to it",

———

After I got glassed in the face I didn't care about that other thing. At all.

Copious amounts of Blood had that way of changing your perspective. Making things a little clearer. Somehow I felt more like myself again. And less William's.

I sure didn't look like the person he'd lived with, or touched, or whispered things to in the dark of night. No. Agent Morningstar was all I wanted to be. All I could be. Because Sierra was a mess. Agent Morningstar had her shit together, she didn't get played by stupid teenage boys. She was too smart for that.

I was once a school kid who doubled as a Agent. Now the job never ended.

I didn't want it to.

And the day after the incident with Neil I finally climbed on to the bonnet of my car again. I didn't scurry into homeroom. I didn't hide. If William wanted me to then he fucked with the wrong person.

I opened the front of my long coat and absorbed the heat from the sun on my chest. Beating down through the thin material of my sleeveless Blue Oyster Cult shirt. The contentment in my pose was reminiscent of the moments before Agent Harrelson burnt himself alive. Maybe less scarring.

I had my first therapy session about that in the coming days. By Dad's plea and Jameson's order.

Yay.

I didn't whip out my notebook that day because My hand was still sore from the futile effort to shield my face from that bottle. It copped the biggest slice through my palm, to my wrist. It was disgusting. All that blood and puss and gunk. I shivered at the memory, mindlessly rubbing the bandage on my hand.

The swelling on my face had subsided a heap but it was still bruised on my brow where the glass had cleaved through. It would scar forever, Redfield had informed me. I didn't care. Not when there was so many other ways that job could've gone south. Trust the easiest assignment I'd ever had in Hawkins to actually get me wounded.

"Hey, Si-Storm", Tommy raised his chin in greeting before sliding onto my bonnet next to me. His wallet chain smacking my thigh.

"Tommy Lee", I returned his greeting as the musky scent of his cologne carried through the air. Like apples and cinnamon.

He smiled gently and those bottle green eyes dipped to my shirt.

"BOC, nice",

I leaned forward to read the front of his shirt in response, flattening out the writing with my hand. "FBI: Female Body Inspector", I read out loud, shaking my head. He shrugged in response, that smirk never fading. His hair was a damp that morning, like he'd recently showered then left for school.

"I thought I'd at least give it a day before I asked, but what the fuck happened to you?," He blinked quickly while motioning to me. "Did You use your face for knife throwing practice or some shit?",

I thought on what lie I'd give him. What fallacy I could conjure. But my mind was exhausted. And left me far behind.

"Guess", I responded, resting my elbows on my knees. He took the opportunity to slide around on my bonnet. Facing me as he crossed his legs and held his chin in his hands. Examining me with the same poise a therapist had.

I laughed involuntarily. The pure weirdness of him making my face hurt.

"I want to say bar fight. You talked shit and got cut...Or", His eyes narrowed, each word making his neck tilt. "—Ninjas", Tommy opened his mouth, wide enough to catch flies, like he'd solved the biggest problem in the world.

"Crazy you guessed the Ninja thing. I didn't know how I was gonna explain it otherwise", I smirked, those green eyes looking at me expectantly. I sighed before I spoke, glancing to the dirt. "I got glassed by a crackhead, okay?",

He laughed. Not in any way that didn't believe me. But just at the pure absurdity of it. His laugh booming through the carpark

"Shut up", I scolded, whipping his thigh with his wallet chain. But even I laughed. Watching as he held his chest, his cheeks reddening. "I know it's not funny but—", Tommy was inconsolable now, his long body listing sideways onto my windshield. Very close the edge. I took the chance to nudge his legs but pull him back just as quickly. The life flashing before his eyes while his body started to slip off the side of my car. Only saved by my mercy. He gripped the bonnet like a frog, narrowing his sight to me.

"Hey I could've fallen to my death", He spoke through chuckles while sitting upright again, peering over the side, "It's a long drop",

"Hmm, yet you didn't",

"Our father who art in Hell has smiled fondly upon me", Tommy clasped his hands together in prayer, tracing an upside down crucifix on his shoulders. He kissed his padlock necklace before whispering, "Hail Satan",

"Hmm", I observed him, looking his black attire up and down, "It wasn't you at Gale road with a cracked wine bottle was it?",

"Gale road?",

"Yup",

"You mean the old Bird Place?",

I stared at him through slits at this point. Wondering just how he knew that, "...Yes.",

"Wow, I can't believe the kids still use that place, I used to go their all the time to get—An education", He corrected himself while his eyes darting around in his skull as if questioning what he said. Then He turned to me again, his knee tapping mine, "But why were you there?",

"There was a girl with them, she looked a bit young to be injecting. Maybe twelve",

"No way you saw that from the road",

"...Okay, look. I have a thing with creepy places, I mean mine and Billy's first date was at a hundred year old Asylum. I kinda went in to have a looksie. It looked really overgrown and spooky.", I confessed.

Tommy nodded lightly, a smirk on his lips, "Oh, you finally said he who shan't be named's name",

"What?", I breathed, cocking my brow.

"You've used a lot of "He" and "Him" but I haven't heard you say his actual name since the non mutual break up", He explained, knitting his brows together.

"He asked Prue about...", Tommy gestured to my stitches in the absence of words,

"Make up something that'll make him feel bad", I commented.

"I don't think I could beat the real reason",

"Then he can worry about himself",

"But, It doesn't really matter. Go on with your crackhead tale",

"Uh", I shrugged, shaking off the thought. "Right, the crackhead...Well there was a group of them. I told them to move on and they did without much fight. That twelve year old girl, you know the one I was actually trying to help, was the one who waited until her friends were through the doors before she swung on me. I tell you what cracked out kids are strong. She shattered a bottle on my face. I got twelve stitches and three gashes that had to be glued",

Tommy nodded softly, his lips running over one another. "I think the first mistake was going in there alone",

"I had my gun",

"And the bitch still glassed you?",

"That's the power of crack, smack and whatever else the fuckers were shooting up", I shrugged as a cool breeze filtered through the carpark. He matched my action and gingerly prodded my bandaged hand.

"What's that from?",

"I tried to shield my face", I exhaled, glancing to my boots. It seemed like a really stupid thing to do the more I explained myself. Because it was.

"You are the only person I know that this could happen to", He murmured and ran his fingers through his hair. "I actually think the only other worst thing that could happen to you now would be if a bus hit you, Si-Storm",

"What do you mean? I'm thriving", I murmured jokingly.

"Even the way you said that made me sad", Tommy frowned, "For fuck sake, you got pneumonia, you got broken up with, then you got impaled trying to help a twelve year old drug addict...", He glanced downwards angrily to the ground, motioning with his hands, "You better start treating Sierra right, Satan or we will renounce your fine ass. We will form a union for your best soldiers and we will—We'll sue!",

I watched him curse the earth, feeling somewhat sorry for myself. When he pointed it out right then I realised just how miserable my luck had been. How one might feel pissed off about the hand they'd been dealt.

When he was done renouncing Satan Tommy looked back to me. His hair completely dry now. I recognised the look in his eyes, pity all mixed with the feathering of his jaw muscle. Like he kept thinking of things to say but could never say them.

Instead he just placed his hand on my back, hugging me sideways on the bonnet of the car. I leaned into his ribs with my shoulder, appreciating it more than he'd ever know. "Hey, my Mom wants a photo of us", He spoke after a bit, rifling through his school bag with his free hand. All the while he held me there against his side.

"As long as it's not going on a billboard",

"I can't promise that", Tommy scoffed, whipping out a white Polaroid camera. Then came the sound of a thunderous engine. And my sight flicked to the black Camaro that sped into the carpark.

"Okay, on three", Tommy turned that lens towards us, smiling like a choir boy. He pulled me closer for the photo until I was almost in his lap. I smiled on command as he spoke the word, "Three", And a blinding flash burst. He caught the film before it fell to the ground, shaking it violently.

And as he showed it to me I was glad I wore makeup that day. Because I didn't look like I felt in that photo.

"Okay, now one for Stacy Messner", He smirked and both of us held up a one finger salute to that camera at the same time. The flash flickering. I caught the white edged film as a creature slammed into my side, nearly on my lap. Steve and Prue hurdling to be in the next photo.

Steve and Tommy sandwiched me in the middle, holding on to each other. And Prue melded to Steve in a rare moment of peace between them. Smiling ridiculously to the camera. The flash went off and they repositioned themselves.

"Geez, Tommy, Do you want me to take the photo?", Kelsey sneered from the front of my car. Blue eyeshadow painting her lids. She had some sort of knitted halter neck that barely contained her breasts and a pair of blue jeans. Paired with Billy's favourite Denim jacket. The one that had indents on the breast pocket from his cigarette packets poking through. And was slightly frayed on its hem from constant use.

I wondered if they were together. Officially. He didn't exactly go around giving his flings his clothing. Or even learning their names. I didn't even get the honour of the beloved jacket.

"That would be excellent", Tommy replied, handing her his camera. She looked at us and then to the polaroid. Frowning.

"Hey, Steve and Tommy, why don't you hold on to the woman, not each other, you're looking a bit gay",

Instantly they both stopped touching each other. Steve settled for his arm at my waist, Tommy opted for over my shoulder.

I hated how she said that. The Woman. Like my name meant nothing to her. It wasn't like her boyfriend was cheating with me like mine was with her. I believe his words were along the lines of 'She means nothing to me',

Well she certainly meant something now. And the thought ran through my mind that perhaps he'd dumped me for her. Successfully upsetting myself with it. I wondered too if he was fucking her while he was still with me. I doubt that he would've waited. I should've probably booked a doctors appointment to do some sort of health check for that. I knew he was clean, but her. No way.

Kelsey nodded at the boys but her scowl didn't disappear fully, taking it upon herself to reposition us. She grabbed my hand with her cold fingers and clamped it to Tommy's waist. Draping Steve's arm around Prue's shoulder next.

"Smile", She ordered, taking three big steps back to take our photo. As that flash burst Billy snaked his arms around her waist and I felt that smile fade. She squinted against the sun while shaking the film. "Do one more", She ordered while my Ex-boyfriend Kissed her neck.

I was going to vomit.

"Kiss the girl's cheek's", Kelsey barked, motioning with her hand. "Tommy to Sierra, Steve to Prue. It'll be cute—Billy stop", She snickered, playfully smacking him away.

"I'm going to kill him", I heard Prue utter as she slid off the bonnet. Snarling to Kelsey, "Why don't I take the photo? Since you're preoccupied with a whoring douchebag", She didn't wait for an answer before snatching Tommy's camera. "Be glad I haven't punched you in the fucking mouth", She met Billy's eyes murmuring the word, "Whore",

His throat bobbed at the word but he didn't fight back. He didn't say anything. But had the audacity to look at me. Like I would deny it. I'm sure he was sorely disappointed when I opened my mouth, not speaking to him, but to the boys either side of me. "Warm today",

"I thought every day was warm for you?", Steve shot back,

"Come on, Steve the Satanist thing is old now", I shook my head, watching Prue shoo my Ex and his new girlfriend over to his car.

The thing about Prue was that she was terrifying when she wanted to be. And neither Billy nor Kelsey said anything In retort. They might've scoffed But they stayed to watch as we finished up with the photos.

I kept my sight focused on Prue, watching her mouth curl into a devious smirk.

"Why don't we kiss Sierra's cheek? Both of you",

I got attacked from both sides before I could react, warmth spreading in my cheeks as that flash went off and I could only laugh stupidly against the two men that held my face in their hands.

"Now Tommy and Steve kiss!", Sam called from Kelsey's side.

"That's gay, man", Tommy retorted back. "Unless there's money involved.",

"Shut up, man", Steve scolded from beside me. I slipped out from between them and found the ground with my boots, stalking over to Prue.

"That was savage", I commended, throwing my arm around her shoulder.

"He's a dickhead and he deserved it for laying it on so thick in front of you", Prue nodded while turning the camera to us. "And today we are going to replace that photo on your mirror", I bent down to match her height and hugged her from behind as she took the photo. She'd seen that Polaroid photo in my room of William and I at Hazeldean farm to know that we were mocking him. I'm sure he knew that too.

That photo was the last thing I had reminiscent of us in my room.

That we'd ever been together.

Ever existed at all.

I guess it was time to go.

By the time we were done with the camera each of us had a handful of photos each. That one of Prue and I, I stored in my badge wallet.

To cherish when I was in Cali.

I was going to miss her so much. Enough that it made my eyes well up just thinking about it. Thinking about saying goodbye. Not just to her but to all of them.

The school bell tore me from my thoughts.

"I Uh—I think I'm skip today. I'm going to patrol instead. Actually do something productive", I whispered to Prue while tracing my bandaged wrist. She turned to me with wide eyes after giving Tommy back his camera, waiting for the boys to clear off before she answered.

"Everyday you're not here he wins, Si",

"She's wearing his favourite jacket. She's driving his car. I think it's pretty clear he left me to be with her.", I all but whispered, watching Kelsey grab her bag out of the passenger seat of the Camaro. Tears welling there.

Prue pressed her lips together tightly, rubbing my arm with what little support she could give. "Then he's just the dumbest person I've ever met. You offered him more in a day than Kelsey could give him in a lifetime",

"Do you think he was cheating on me with her?",

"I—I don't know, Si", Prue shook her head. Bits of dark fringe falling out of her ponytail.

"I know I neglected him after his birthday, when I was busy with work. You know trying not to die and stuff...I just didn't think he would go out and cheat...Although I didn't think he'd up and leave me after—", I stopped myself from saying the words, leaning back into my bull bar with my elbows.

"What?", She asked quietly, glancing around for any prying ears.

"Nothing. It's...nothing", I smiled weakly, "Just me running away with my thoughts",

"Your thoughts often make your eyes bleed water?", She asked, motioning to my face.

"Yeah, pretty much", I shrugged, sniffling away the glassines.

"Sierra, you don't have to tell me, but you're doing him no favours by protecting him. He obviously doesn't care about not hurting you. Why treat him any differently?", She squeezed my arm. She had a point. Why was I protecting him?

"We—", I took a deep breath before continuing, "We were engaged", I couldn't look at her to say it.

Prue recoiled at the words, her face shrivelling, "What?!...What", She spat, whispering the last words. I shrugged in response. Not feeling up to discussing it.

"Wait...did he ask you or?...",

"Yes",

"And you said yes?"

"Yes",

"When?",

"His birthday",

"Prue. Sierra. You coming or not?!", Steve called from across the carpark.

"One of us has to be here...Go home, Si. The Monsters will still be here on our patrol tomorrow ", Prue exhaled, rubbing my arm again. That information was perhaps too much to process for her. "Feel better",

I nodded in response, feeling guilty for that hurt expression on her face. I wanted to tell her, of course I did. But our engagement lasted literal hours before he called it quits. There was nothing to tell after that. Nothing I wanted to share.

I felt stupid for even thinking he wanted that. For saying what we did in the aftermath of Harrelson's death.

All empty promises.

All leading to that platinum blonde woman who wore his jackets and straddled him on the lunch table.

Fuck.

I watched Prue walk away from me without another word, reaching Steve on the other side of the car park. He looked at me and then to her, speaking quiet words. I simply withheld the ache in my throat. Held back those tears that threaten to break through. Pressing my lips together to stem it. Apparently hurting people was all I was good for nowadays. All I did so effortlessly.

My hands dove into the back pocket of my jeans as I turned on my heel, sweeping around to the drivers side. My throat ached so badly I could barely stand it. Wanting to sob.

Goddamn it, I winced against the hot trickle of blood down my eyebrow. Maybe I shouldn't have smiled for those photos.

"Fuck", I swore while reaching for my med kit in the centre console. I didn't take it out but felt for the familiar rough edges of an alcohol wipe.

The packet teared open easily and I held the cold wipe against my brow, leaning into the back door as my sight met the sky.

"I wasn't out to steal him from you", A voice echoed from behind me. I turned to see Kelsey Heiss standing there. My eyes darting between the jacket and her. "I know what this looks like",

I laughed, properly chuckled because she wasn't fooling anyone. My door slammed shut so I could see her fully, "You both deserve each other", I sneered in response, pressing the wipe harder. I wasn't doing this, not now.

"We were best friends before this. Before you. I wasn't out to destroy your relationship. But I've been in love with Billy before you ever acknowledged his existence. Before you ever thought he was good enough for you", She defended herself, as if it mattered. I laughed again at her pathetic words, because that's what they were. A futile strike to make me look like the villain. In her mind I probably was.

"And he still chose me", I tilted my neck, warning her to chose her next words carefully.

"Hmm, you know that saying 'If you love something let it go and if it comes back it's yours forever'? Well he always comes back to me, Sierra. Even when you were in his bed, I was on his mind",

"I'm going to stop you right there because I've known girls like you my whole life. You would uproot someone's whole life to get an inkling of attention. Any morsel of praise. We'd been through the wringer and back but that didn't mean you had to be there in his darkest hour. When you knew he was in a relationship. You and him both made your own beds. Don't come to me and act like a victim you Venus fly trap. It doesn't look good on you". I sneered, void of emotion or feeling.

Kelsey clamped her jaw shut, her nostrils flaring. "You scared him. Does that make you feel good, Sierra? A grown man was scared of you. Don't act like you had the perfect relationship when we both know that's a lie. You were the problem.",

I scared him?

Where was she getting this shit from?

"You seem to know a lot about our relationship for someone who wasn't there.", I bit in return.

"I know I've never seen him more miserable than when he was with you. After his Birthday, which I'd already made plans for, thanks for asking, he was a fucking wreck. And you weren't there. I don't know what you did to him but I'm just glad he got the sense to leave you.", Kelsey spoke in her high pitched, droning voice. "We're meant to be together, Sierra. Me and him. We understand each other. We love each other in a way you never could...And the sex. Mindblowing.",

Her audacity just astounded me.

On queue, Satan himself slithered in behind her. His face sort of solemn. Not wanting to be there. Borderline pissed off.

"Fuck, Well then I wish you both the best. I hope he pops the question and you get married and have kids. And buy one of those two storey houses with the white picket fences. But most of all I hope you both get what you deserve. Bye now. ", I smiled something truly unsettling between them both before I hopped into my car.

"What the fuck did you say?", I heard Billy grunt at her, his stare just murderous. My door was closed but my window was cracked a fraction. Enough to hear them.

"Everyone thinks I'm a home wrecker. I told her what I told you about what I felt before you were ever with her.", Kelsey responded.

"Why?",

"What do you mean?", She asked in a lowered voice, "I loved you first. She needs to know that",

"You're a fucking psycho",

I switched on my ignition as the tears fell from Kelsey's eyes, ripping up the gravel on my departure. Every second longer I had to witness him and Kelsey was just the worst.

I finally cried there in my car. Hitting the highway with blurred sight. I didn't really want to go home. Not like this. So I thought of all the words I'd hissed at them. Hurting myself deeply with pretending to hope he proposes to her.

It was just fucked. Everything was fucked.

And even if it was the most demented thing in the world I wanted to hunt monsters right about now.

And I just couldn't get the image of that black castle out of my mind. The day we swapped our rings seeping in as fresh as yesterday. Yet that place was one I hadn't returned to since. Well, since Harrelson melted before my eyes.

I knew I should've as an intelligence Agent. But that human part of me hoped the whole castle went up in flame. It pleaded for me never to step foot on that cursed land.

But I knew it was a home to monsters and mysterious things.

Other Agents had swept the grounds. Had sealed the whole place off in tape and signs. Until we knew how Harrelson got there without a car. Without any means.

I was followed. I knew that. He had to have come from somewhere.

So I took a drive to that haunted castle. Four hours of pure silence and wind whipping me by.

Then those iron gates beheld me, opening with a loud screech. A few metres up the overgrown driveway that black castle came into view. And I stopped my car next to the graveyard. Simply looking up at its majesty. It stared back like a lion to a gazelle. And I'm sure, if given another chance, that terrible place would've eaten me whole. Because now there was an evil inside that tainted every surface, every neatly lined stone. It lived within my memory. As clear as the sunny sky above. And just as likely to burn me.

After a bit I got out of the car and changed into my tactical gear, taking my assault rifle with me this time and holstering a glock around my thigh. I checked over my gear before I shouldered the rifle. The black casing was still pristine. Hardly even a year old. Let's say it looked much better than any other Agent's.

I thought that while stepping over the threshold. Over that place where Billy had said he'd wait for me. Where he'd switched my ring to my...

Where he'd made a fucking idiot out of me...Yeah that was it.

This cursed place was full of demons, but they were my own.

I cleared my throat before walking again. Over the headstones and boggy earth. And around the side of the chateau. Because I was many things but I was not stupid enough to go into that labyrinth alone. In that darkness where the demons thrived.

No, I was smarter than that. The sun was where they came to die.

So I followed a moss eaten path through the rabid garden of roses and shrubbery. The thorns in the overgrowth were bred big. Like an Eagle's talon ripping at my sleeve. No flowers grew on the vines. They'd wait until winter's chill disappeared to bloom again. In that time of hibernation they looked almost dead and blackened. I stumbled through them through to the glass sunroom. If I snuck through there I'd come out at the cobbled courtyard.

I slung my gun and hauled myself through the panel of missing glass, trying not to get caught on anything. My glock bounced off the neighbouring panel but I made it in without any issue, sweeping the space before I ventured in.

I was vulnerable here. All it took was a quick moving demon to drag me into the darkness of the castle. So I raised my rifle as I stalked forwards, shining my light through the adjoining doorways as I passed them by. It was clear.

I sighed. My trigger finger tapping the side of my rifle. Getting faster with each step closer to the courtyard.

I moved quickly out of the sunroom through the remains of its outer door. Treading carefully over wooden panels.

In that courtyard I felt my breath catch up to me. Like I was somehow safer here. In the direct sunlight. And even though the scene had been cleaned I could still see the black stain on the cobblestone where Harrelson ended his life. Crouching there to examine it. My gloved fingers ran over that dried blood mindlessly. The memory making my throat ache.

Triggering all I kept buried.

I couldn't imagine what ran through his head when he ran out of the basement. Knowing he was going to die.

Was he scared?

Did it hurt?

Was he conscious in his own mind when that Demon had control of his body?

Did he know how it was going to end?

All things I'd never know. I'd never allowed myself to ask.

Because I wondered if I could've saved him somehow. If Billy hadn't shot him...If I hadn't given him the gun...Paul might've been alive. He could've lived. Maybe he'd be here with me right now,

I should've done something.

Should've been a better Agent and not someone's girlfriend.

I should've reacted faster. And perhaps I wouldn't have been wracked with so much guilt. So much pain.

Fuck. I wiped away the tears that came. Rocking back onto the cobbles. I brought my knees to my chest on that cold ground. Sobbing finally. I'm not sure how long I was there for. Ten maybe fifteen minutes. But the skin on the back of my neck felt sunburnt by the end.

I looked up at that castle through blurred sight. The rickety wooden door on the side of the basement flapping open and shut in the wind. The sound made me jump.

I looked towards that decrepit space, wondering how Harrelson had found us. Why this was the only attack out of Hawkins.

...because I told him about Billy's surprise. When we'd gone to Memphis. I told him where I'd be.

And he followed me.

Fuck.

Why if they were still following me?

And I didn't know it.

I swallowed with the thought. My throat completely dry.

"Shit",

He had to have come through a portal somewhere. I know no one followed us by car.

But there was always rules to things like this...

Hawkin's portals were found in trees, a pumpkin patch and in the earth. All organic materials. Perhaps it couldn't travel just anywhere. Especially now if it was possessing humans. And only at night.

The whole thing didn't make a lot of sense to me. But I wiped away my tears. Standing again. I'd have to let Jameson know.

Coming here was a mistake.

There was nothing to find in this graveyard.

I knew that.

Maybe I just needed something to take my mind off my bleeding heart.

With a shaky breath I sauntered back to the front of the castle. Braving the thorny path.

I reached my car with no more than an aggrieved sigh. Coming around the passenger side to take off my tactical gear. But something stilled my steps. Silver bleeding through my black bull bar. A deep singular scratch in its alloy. Maybe six inches long. The same width as the Demogorgon scratches. But much deeper. Done with much more malice.

It wasn't there at school. I know it wasn't. I'd looked at enough photos of my friends and I sitting on my bonnet to know this scratch wasn't in them. I'd climbed the surface just that morning, my hand would've been right where the gouge was.

This happened between school and here.

I was willing to bet here.

Shit. I had to call this in.

No one knew I was here.

Not a fucking soul.

"Agent Morningstar",

Fuck.

My sight shot to the figure descending the stone steps to the castle. The front door swung shut behind the man. Each nearing footfall tightening my grip on my rifle.

"Agent Grey", I grunted as his hand raised to shield his sight from the sun. A long way from Hawkins for our Agent to be. "What are you doing here?",

"What do you mean?, we've been keeping an eye on this place since Harrelson died in case that creature shows up again", He raised his brow, stopping on the other side of my car. I looked at him. Speaking.

"Your skin is a little red",

"Yeah, sunburn. I've been here for a few days now", He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "The Sun's real nasty here",

"What, sleeping here? You haven't left?",

"It's a full time job",

"You find anything?", I tilted my neck.

"It's been quiet",

"Haven't found any portals?",

"Portals?", He scoffed like I was crazy.

"You know? The reason you're here? Because of those disgusting demons",

"Right, no. We're not concerned with the portals.",

"You should be", I responded, tapping the side of my gun to calm myself.

"Why?",

"Because Agent Grey was in Hawkins four hours ago and there are no Agents assigned to guarding this castle", I sneered, lifting my rifle. "So who are you?",

I watched his mouth curl into a wicked smile, crooked teeth poking through. Dripping black ooze from his gums. All the while my heart went haywire. He responded in a voice much more gravely than his own, "I am one who knows all. Who sees all. You cannot run from me Agent Morningstar.",

"Why are you following me?", I demanded, taking a step back with that demon in the sight on my rifle.

"These male vessels cannot contain his power. They bleed him out after only a day. But yours...You are not like your other Agents. He could live in your skin for weeks before you began to decay and rot. But to cohabitate He could walk this earth for eighty years",

"You're not getting this vessel", I bit, taking another step back. His neck tilted predatorily at me with the defiant hiss.

Fuck.

"The master is already in it. He will, Sooner or later, awaken. Unless you and your agents leave his creatures. Leave the town.",

"...Is Agent Grey still alive?", I asked, feeling a shiver run down my spine with the ooze that came from his eyes.

"Dead on the floor of the Sunrise bakery.", It spat.

"Then what are you?",

"An organism made up of donated flesh and tissue. A shifter",

"Donated?", I near whimpered the words.

"Unwillingly", He clarified, holding his hands behind his back.

"Could I have saved Harrelson?",

"His body was already rotting beneath the High School's utility shed by that time. His mind, however, I underestimated. That downfall cost me a great deal of time",

"Because he burnt your donated flesh?",

The demon bowed his head in response.

"How much time?", I pressed, my whole body alight and ready for an attack. He knew that.

"I see negotiations have reached their end", He spoke, turning robotically on his heel. To retreat back to the darkness.

"This was never a negotiation",

"Hawkins will fall, Agent Morningstar, decide whether you want your friends alive when it does. Because you'll be the one that kills them. You have that killer instinct everyone talks about. That...Shining", With the words he swept back towards the staircase.

"You never told me your name", I called, stilling his retreat. He turned to speak again. To face me.

"Because I'm not going to be the one that takes you.",

"Then who are you?",

"I'm a messenger for what is coming. A harbinger of darkness.",

"Well tell your Overlord we're coming for him,",

"He's already a cancer festering inside of you, making you weak",

"There's more than one of me", I snarled as I pulled the trigger. The recoil of my rifle slamming into my shoulder. That sound just as brutal.

After the deafening bangs that creature dabbed at the four bullet holes on his white shirt. Black blood coming away with his fingers. Staining his chest.

Agent Grey's face looked at me with gaping lips. Swaying on his feet.

"Agent Grey?", I asked, taking four steps closer to the stairs. Where the darkness began to shadow the sun. He'd not reached the shade. I didn't let him. "Agent Grey?", I spoke again when I was above those five steps, my rifle still raised.

"You shot me", He gasped. His hands trying to stem the black ooze that dribbled down the front of his white shirt. "You—You shot me",

Glassy eyes veered to me. Like I'd betrayed him.

"Austin", I pleaded, following him to the stone landing as he collapsed onto his knees. I knelt there beside him. "You're already dead", I choked out, touching his shoulder. As I did his brown eyes shot to me, that guttural voice re-emerging, "I know",

Fuck.

He launched at me, knocking the rifle from my hand. But I clasped that shoulder strap the whole way down the staircase. With every jolt on my ribs and spine. I heard it's body clattering behind me.

The world span in blurs of blue, grey and yellow all until we stopped falling and collided with the ground.

I couldn't breathe. Not there at the bottom of the steps. Fuck. My lungs refused to cooperate. To work. My battered and bruised body taking the same queue. And as that demon bled out beside me I felt blood pooling at the back of my throat. Escaping the edges of my mouth. With a rough cough my lungs inflated again. All the ready to feel the light breeze that swept over us. The sky so beautiful above me. Flourishing with white clouds that blurred into just blinding light. Beating down on my skin. Burning heat.

Agent Grey let out a final death rattle before going stiff . And I waited for his body to melt into flesh and bone but it didn't. It stayed solid next me. Bleeding out long since he'd been dead. The pool absorbing into my uniform. And even though I couldn't swipe it away I could feel the wetness of that onyx blood on my neck and face. Shit. Was I dying?

No. It wasn't demon blood but my own. I could feel it now. That popped stitch in my brow. It throbbed against my temple, more than when I'd gotten glassed. That stench of blood making my stomach weak.

I rested my eyes there, with my enemy slain at my side. All to hear a loud rumbling in the earth. And then nothing. Nothing but blackness.

I just needed to rest.

Just to rest.

"Sierra", Someone's voice pulled me from my slumber. Hands clasping me against their lap. I shot up quickly, not remembering why I was on the ground. Why I was outside. My fingers curling around the rifle strap in my hand. I blinked quickly. Once then twice. Not truly seeing.

"Don't fucking touch me", I groaned, warning against the hand that went to wipe the dried blood from my brow. And he didn't. He backed up and let me breathe for a second.

Fuck. My gun. This was just great. The black alloy was scratched with silver scrapes on both sides. Close to gouges. "Fuck", I swore while flipping it in my hands. Ugh, my mouth tasted like ash. My gloved hand wiped at the corners of my mouth. Goddamn it, everything hurt.

"Why are you here?", I demanded, flicking my eyes to the dead demon at the bottom of the stairs. Then to the man who knelt beside me.

"Why are you?", He bit back in response. I simply motioned to the dead demon beside us. Speaking through a hoarse throat as I tore myself from the hard cobbles, "It's my fucking job, asshole",

With that I limped back to my car, lifting my dented and scratched rifle off the ground.

"Fuck", I swore as I ran my hands along the fresh marks to match the one in my bull bar. Taking care when I placed it back in my duffel, reaching for the water bottle beside it. Fuck my throat was like sandpaper.

I took a sip, swished it around my mouth then spat it back out onto the ground. Draining the rest. When I was done I closed the door of the cab and turned back to the man who watched me like a hawk.

"Why are you here, Billy?", I asked again with less patience than last time.

"Your Dad pulled me out of class because Agent Grey was dead and you were missing", He grunted in response. "I figured you'd be here after that showdown with Kelsey",

"What showdown?", I asked, daring him to accuse me of a fucking thing.

"The one where you told me to marry her", He reminded me with nothing kind in his voice. I smiled weakly in response. Speaking again, "I'll let Dad know where I am",

"Why do you do this?", He asked, running his hand through his hair in his frustration.

"What?",

"Instead of throwing your fist through a wall you go after demons now.",

"You must've missed the part about this being my job", I shook my head, saying the words slow enough to add insult.

"Why don't you just hit me instead?", He offered, "Fucking scream at me, I know you want to",

"I've got demons to hunt", I scoffed, pushing past him. But he grabbed onto my arm, "Kelsey was out of line", Billy confessed, clearing his throat.

"Better control the wife before she gets her ass beaten then, Mr Heiss", I snarked in return, tearing his grasp off my armour. I wasn't his to touch. And as I swept around the driver's side of my car I unfastened the Kevlar armour from my abdomen, gasping at the relief. The sudden breath causing pain through my ribs.

"Fuck", I groaned, slipping the vest from my shoulders. Before I swung myself into the cab. Starting the engine.

My radio crackled with static. Warbling until I found our station. And as I put that receiver to my lips my throat began to ache.

"Agent 513774 to dispatch",

The wait was near nerve wracking.

"Dispatch to Agent 513774 responding.",

"That you, Babygirl?", Dad's voice cut through the static.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine. You didn't need to send Bandit after me", I responded, leaning my head far back into the seat. I watch Billy at the foot of the stairs crouched in front of Agent Grey's corpse. He'd picked up a stick and now poked at the body as if it would come back to life.

Fuck him.

Why did he have to come after me? Now. And here of all places. It made my job so much harder with him around.

He told me. He goddamn told me that he didn't want anything to do with this stuff anymore. That he wanted to be a kid. To be free.

I wished he listened to himself. He'd left me alone. Because when I was around him now my walls were up so high I barely recognised the person speaking. And Dad should never have asked him to do this.

"I'm sorry. But We have a situation in town, better safe than sorry", Dad spoke.

"Yeah, I have a situation here too.", I confessed slowly, wondering how long Billy would prod at that dead demon.

"Do I need to come out?",

"...It's better if you do",

I heard him sigh before speaking again, "Passmore and I are about two hours out, Babygirl, is it safe to wait there with—Bandit?", He spoke the words like they were poison on his tongue.

"10-4. I'll stay here", I replied, glancing at myself in the rear view. I looked disgusting.

"See you soon",

"Over and out",

With the words I reached into my glovebox and tore out some antiseptic wipes. Dad didn't need to see me like this. My face covered in black and red stains.

I wiped at it all until the skin beneath was raw. And my shirt that was wet with black ooze, It got ripped off over my head. And I Grabbed the spare shirt from my duffel bag. Then I wiped down my front and side. All those places I couldn't get to under the shirt.

When it was done I got out of the truck and pulled that long sleeved shirt down over my head. Reaching over the seat for my school bag. Deodorant came next then three spritzes of perfume. And as soon as I didn't smell like death I zipped my Kevlar vest back up. The whole thing squeezing my sides and chest in.

"Fuck", I cursed once more, The figure at the front of my truck scaring the absolute hell out of me. I spoke to cover my startle. "Dean's on his way, which means you need to not be here when he arrives",

"He didn't say that", Billy grunted in response, leaning over my bull-bar. The ignorance of his tone really grinding on my nerves. "Plus, we still have that thing to talk about",

"I'm working, Billy", I sighed, walking back over to the body on the ground now that he'd stopped poking it with sticks. Poor dead demon. "You wanted out. I'm letting you out",

But Billy didn't let me off that easily. His boots crushing the dirt underfoot. Following. Why couldn't he just leave?

"You can't bullshit me, Sierra, I know you're not supposed to be taking jobs any more,",

"You don't know shit, Actually. It's all hands on deck at the office.", I scoffed, "Now that we're down another agent.",

"Then do both. Work and maintain a social life",

"I'm almost certain we discovered I couldn't do both when your ass walked out the door", I knelt next to Agent Grey, feeling inside his pockets for anything. "Then you slipped and fell into Kelsey's vagina, or did the two events overlap?", My fingers brushed against the rough material of Grey's jean pockets. He didn't have anything. It was a shot in the dark. Maybe I expected a shifter to carry some sort of items. Gum, a yo-yo. Something to pass the time.

Billy laughed that sort of chuckle he did when he was speechless. Frustrated. Maybe even hurt. And as I stood he spoke again, "I slept with Kelsey once, a year ago. What she does at school is just to annoy you",

"Then why do you let her? Why do you participate? I wasn't the fucking bad guy", I hissed in return, refusing to meet his eyes. "So Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining",

He didn't say anything but dug his hands into his jacket pockets. It was then I noticed his black Deagle holstered to his thigh, I wondered why,

"I didn't cheat on you",

"I don't care", I rolled my eyes, wondering just what the fuck I was going to do for the next two hours. "You're done, remember? So be done",

Agent Grey had come from the front doors. He'd been inside the castle. I suppose I'd investigate. And while I tore the small flashlight from the shoulder of my Kevlar I spoke again, "My Dad shouldn't have got you involved, I asked him not to. I guess he didn't hear me", Finally I met his eyes. Those glistening green orbs. "If you're not leaving then wait for me here, last thing I need is another dead body",

"I'm not letting you go in there alone",

"I'm not giving you a fucking choice. You stay out here or I tase you then handcuff you to you the door-handle",

"Why?",

"Because two bodies are better than three", I spoke like he was an idiot. "Stay here.", I didn't hold out for his answer before walking back over to those stairs. Every footfall springing pain in my knee where I'd made impact on too many surfaces to count on the way down.

The riveted wooden door moved quietly with a solid push. Then the dark foyer stared back at me. The heart of the shadows thriving through the hallway to the kitchen. Those torn curtains hanging from hooks taking flight in the breeze that came in through the open window on the staircase that lined the left side of the foyer. A small stream of sunlight beaming through. I limped up those stairs. One step at a time, settling my sight on the dirty stained glass window on the landing. Like a wreath of red and black glass. Maybe a flower. A dahlia?

I didn't know.

I knew this window wasn't open the last time I'd been here though. But I didn't care enough to close it as I made it to the first landing that turned my path to the right and up another set of stairs. Then came the second floor. A labyrinth of a place. It's halls were thin and laid out like a zigzag. And because it was that way it was pitch black. Spooky. I swept the first two rooms that were little more than broom closets then made for the room with the arched red door. My curiosity leading me.

The gold handle squeaked and turned under my gloved hand. My glock firm in my other as the door swung open.

I didn't need my light in here. The shattered glass from a great oval window let in enough light. It was a library. An office. With enough of the original black shelving to recognise that. Albeit most of the furniture was shattered barring a forest green chaise that was stained by things I didn't want to guess. And a flattened shag rug.

I ran my fingers against the moist wallpaper, the golden fixtures on the light switch. Leading me all the way to that glassless window that overlooked the thorny garden.

While I could see without a light the window let in little sun against nearly black walls. Might've been blue once. But it wasn't anymore.

There wasn't much else to see out that window but a pine forest. The scent of it wafting in. Absorbing into my skin. I watched those trees sway with the wind, holstering my gun.

Things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.

But fuck me, that fall down the stairs hurt. Something was wrong with my knee and my shoulder just ached. I was sure it was bruised. My poor glock was scraped as well as my rifle. I was certain to see the outline of the handgun Imprinted on my thigh when I had a shower that night.

A long breath escaped my lips while those pine trees waved back and forth in the breeze. I moved my shoulder joint beneath my hand to feel for any abnormalities but it wasn't out of place. Just sore.

There were a lot of weird noises in this castle. Squeaks and rattles that came seemingly from within the walls. Rats maybe. A few rooms before this one I could've sworn I'd heard scratching. Like little sharp nails clawing the floorboards overhead. And the smell. It was like wet mould and copper.

"What did you mean that you're not the bad guy?", Billy's voice boomed through the library, scaring the life out of me from the door. "You think I am?",

I turned to him, speaking plainly, "I thought I told you to wait outside."

"Yeah. You'll only speak to me now if it's about your job",

"You're a civilian, Hargrove. I'm giving you what you asked for",

"You fucking asked to leave Hawkins, Sierra. What did you think would happen?",

"Yeah because something is trying to kill me here, Billy. I didn't do it to spite you", I shook my head. "And I was always leaving. Why did four weeks make any difference? Why did that suddenly make you want to abandon ship? Huh?",Any life in my voice dying with that demon at the foot of the steps. "You were always looking for a way out. And I gave it to you",

"That's not—You hate this assignment. The Demons. All of this shit",

"Correct",

"Then why are you hunting it? Why are you trying to get yourself killed?", He growled, taking a step into the room. That nasty rage taking over. Not angry but frustrated and for him it all morphed together. The hurt, the stress, the pain. And it usually ended with his knuckles bleeding. And I wanted to scream at him

'I'm hunting these fucking demons for you, Asshole. Because once it kills me, once our agents are dead, you're next. So when I leave, either in an urn or by a plane, I'm taking these goddamn demons with me. I'm hunting monsters Because I love you more than life itself. Because I need you to live',

But I could never tell him that. I didn't even tell him that Harrelson told me they'd come for him after me.

"Because I've got all the fucking time in the world to now. Because I'm good at it", I sneered in response, coming face to face with his murderous fury. He ran his tongue over his teeth before smiling that sidewards grin, "How many times are you going to throw that in my face, huh?",

As his breath hit my cheek I glared back into those narrowed eyes. "Until you realise what I do doesn't concern you. You gave up the right to know when you took a knife and impaled what remained of our relationship", I bit

"So you still get to come to my house and throw me under the bus? But I can't say two fucking words to you? What did you think would happen when you told my Dad that you got attacked by thugs roaming the streets? After I made the golden child walk home?",

"I wasn't thinking about you at all.", I snarled, motioning to the slit in my brow. "I was thinking about how it felt to be fucking glassed. How Max walking was just the worst idea in the world",

"Let me guess, you were hunting demons in that old Bird Aviary?",

"Hmm, you're smarter than you look", I smiled, roughly knocking his shoulder as I passed him. A mistake.

Billy both grabbed and span me back into his chest in a violent whirl. His jaw clamped together so tightly I thought his teeth might snap. "Get off me, you fucking asshole", I warned once, glaring towards his grip on my bicep. He didn't. "No. You need to stop, Sierra. Because You're trying to get the fuck beaten out of you so you don't have to deal with how fucked up your life is", Dirty Blond hair swept my face. Unblinking as he spat the words. My eyes rolled, the day I took life advice from him would be a sore fucking day.

"Get your fucking hands off me", Was all I responded with. But that bruising hold on my arm only tightened. Instead of pleading I shoved him back into the solid wall. Every tear, every sleepless night without him merged into that shove. It took over my logic, my restraint. The shock on his face when his shoulder collided with the wall was priceless. It made his hold fall and I quickly curled my fingers around that space between his collarbone and neck. Dust coming off the wall in puffs behind him. Pressing just hard enough on his throat to humble him as I leaned in to whisper in his ear, barely audible over his winded breath, "I'm a CIA Agent, Do you understand? You touch me now and I will bury you and write it off as an accident. So Don't fuck with me, Hargrove. Don't try to help me. You'll only fuck it up",

His hand grasped the front of my vest in retaliation. Green eyes alight and writhing. Pissed off. And as he did I stared at him through my lashes, his jaw muscle feathering. I growled lightly at the sudden shift of power as his fingers swept the skin above my jugular. He reefed me forward, His face changing then. Contorting to something I knew well.

"I'm trying to keep you alive",

I swallowed before saying, "Well don't...I hate you, got it? I. Fucking. Hate. You. William,",

His eyes met the floor for a fleeting second, his rage kept within the feathering of his jaw muscle. I spoke again with no kindness, "So get the fuck back outside and stop fucking up my job",

"That was nasty, Sierra ", Billy snarled, repositioning his hand. Fingers sweeping my breast as he curled them around the collar of my vest.

"Then do something about it, Bitch", I snarled, pressing that fraction harder on his neck. Green eyes looking between mine. Like he was going to take the high road. I watched him swallow before his hand removed itself from my vest, settling on the side of my cheek.

"You need help" He spoke lightly, like he truly meant it. And I had nothing to say as his breath rebounded off my cheek. Nothing but untameable rage inside of me. And there was only ever one thing worth doing while we were fighting.

"Oh, are you going to help me, Billy?", I near whispered as my hand lowered from his throat, my face an inch away from his while my fingers silently curled around the cold buckle of his belt. He inhaled a sharp breath, "I'd be very grateful", I added, Never breaking eye contact. Leather whispered then fell loose against him. His throat bobbing before his mouth collided with mine ravenously. "Take off the fucking vest", He spoke against my lips but I was preoccupied with my own hand movements that made him suck the air between his teeth. "You didn't say please", I tilted my neck in a sideward smirk and he took it upon himself to slam me back against the wall. Making bruises on my neck with his teeth. I moaned against it as he unzipped the front and that vest slipped itself from my shoulders. Falling at our feet. Just like my remnants of sanity.

—————-

An hour and a half after I'd radioed for dispatch I laid back, naked and exhausted on what used to be some sort of red shag rug. Billy collapsed beside me just as breathless. Brushing my shoulder. I shielded my exposed skin with his denim jacket. Holding it up to my neck.

What the hell was that? I scolded myself. Staring unblinking at the peeling paint above me. This wasn't a spur of the moment hot fling. This was an accidental relapse and then another thirty minutes later.

What was wrong with me?

I ran my hand over my sweaty face in my thought, sitting upright when I had my breath.

Right...right. I tried to muster a thought. A reason for my lapse in judgement. But the only thing I could do was sift through the pile of my clothes and start to redress myself. My underwear and bra were within reach and I slipped them on quickly, walking to the mantle to swipe my black cargo pants off the floor. I pulled them on and tightened the belt around my waist. All the while green eyes watched me do it. And as my thigh holster tightened around my leg I tossed him his jeans and grey shirt.

When we were together we always cuddled after things like this, I suppose me immediately getting dressed was an adjustment for him. "You've got ten minutes to get dressed and get gone", I spoke, looking down at my watch as I slipped my shirt over my head.

"That bad huh?", He scoffed, watching me with a perplexed expression.

"Huh?", I furrowed my brow as I zipped that vest back onto my body.

"I've never seen someone get dressed so fast after doing the deed.",

I flinched at the crude words, as if they hit me. Shooting back.

"What? Did you want me to cuddle you? Did you want me to fall asleep in your arms? This was sex Billy, that's all it was.",

"But it was great sex", He smirked that dumb smile he got when he was thinking about it. "Besides, you never hated the cuddling",

"When we were together", I spoke slowly, "Now we're nothing.",

"Not even friends?", He asked with the base of his voice.

"I could never be just friends with you. This is the first time we've been alone together and look what happened",

"I'm not complaining.", He rolled his eyes and slipped on his faded blue jeans.

"Of course you're not", I crossed my arms over my chest for an inkling of comfort."But if you're looking for a friend with benefits take Kelsey up on her offer. I think she'd pass out",

I shouldn't have done this. This was so stupid. "I—I'll meet you down stairs", I stammered, just needed to get out of that room. And every step I took out of that library made the guilt seep deeper into my chest. Made me want to throw myself down that beautiful mahogany staircase.

I'd slept with my Ex who I was still miserably in love with. That had to be a new low for me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, threatening to tear it out. Bringing with it the stinging in my eyes. But I couldn't cry here. Not now. He did deserve to see that.

I waited on the stone steps for him outside. Sitting with that corpse at my feet. Billy took so long I had time to plait my hair again. To hide the marks on my neck. But after about twenty minutes his boots hit the stone pavement out of the front door. I didn't need to turn to know it was him. Fuck. How could I even look at him?

I couldn't even turn my sight when he sat himself next to me. A metre apart. He opened his mouth to speak.

"That was—"

"We're not talking about it", I cut him off, flinching at the words. He held up his hands in surrender. Looking much messier than before. He hadn't fixed his hair or the collar of his jacket. And I wondered what took him so long. He did have three red marks on his knuckles, though I'm not sure he didn't have those already. He spoke again with no life in his voice, "We don't really have anything else in common nowadays",

Yeah, because of you

I sneered it a thousand times in my mind.

"We never did", I responded instead, bending my leg at the knee while the other lulled lifelessly down the stairs. Kinda like a flamingo.

He exhaled a long sigh, nodding, "Yeah...Cali in five weeks though, that's crazy",

"Yup.", I ground out. What was he fishing for?

"Really? That's all you're going to give me? Yup?", His tongue swept over his teeth, smiling but in a sad sort of way. Like a laugh or cry type of smile.

"Certainly is",

"You have a place yet?",

"Yes",

"Penthouse suite?", Billy swivelled around to me, his knee falling short of brushing my glock.

"Three bedroom house in the suburbs", I murmured, rubbing my hands together. I looked ahead instead of looking at him, pretending to watch the gate. When my sight was unfocused and glazed over,

"Dean moving in with you?",

"No", I scoffed. As much as I loved my sisters, living with two six year olds wasn't my idea of fun. "He's got the girls",

"Delta and Echo, right?",

"Yup",

"Yeah, Six year olds are demons...well not like our demons but—What's with your Dad and the phonetic alphabet names?",

"You'd have to ask him", I exhaled, just wanting him to leave.

"What day are you leaving?",

"Two days after Graduation. A Saturday",

Billy swallowed, his knee lightly jittering on the step. "You going to Prom?",

I rolled my eyes at the question, wondering where he got the audacity to ask. And as I stood I growled the word, "No",

"Wait—Just wait a second", He held his hands in surrender and I turned on my heel to him, flicking a cigarette out of my vest. The sound of my lighter making his throat bob.

"You have a second to start talking", I snarled, breathing in that rancid air.

"Why are you taking jobs? There's no way your Dad would've let you",

Smoke escaped my lips, as well as a snicker, "If I'm dying in this town then I'm not fucking waiting around for a demon to come and get me, I'm knocking the cunt's front door down",

"Why?",

"Because I plan to be the biggest migraine this Demon has ever had",

"Why do you think you're going to die?",

My hands motioned to Agent Grey, "Because the motherfucker next to you was shipping out of Hawkins tomorrow. Don't worry though, that panther jacket goes back to you in my most recent will.",

"You shouldn't be so okay with this...",

"Trust me, it wasn't in my plans to be hunted down by Demons but you get used to the idea when enough of your coworkers are brutally murdered.", I shrugged, exhaling a cloud of smoke, "Ain't fucking fair but it's what I'm dealing with.",

"I'm sorry",

"Don't be sorry, Be grateful you got out when you did",

His mouth opened and closed about three times and I could only watch him fight for any words. Anything beyond that glassy eyed stare he shot at me.

I murmured in place, exhaling a cloud of smoke, "You don't have to fill the silence either",

"I want to know what's going on, Sierra", He all but whispered.

"Well fuck, you broke up with the wrong person then.", I all but laughed,

"Why'd you come here?", He bartered, something sort of broken in the way he asked it.

"Hmmm, something about today made me feel like shooting a demon in the face",

"You could've done that in Hawkins, why here?",

I shrugged while taking another drag. Everything running rampant within me, every word I spoke dripping with sarcasm, "I like the aesthetic",

"Wanna know how I found you?",

"I'm sure you're going to tell me whether I do or not",

"Because while you were telling Kelsey I should marry her you were tracing that place where your ring used to sit.",

"Shocking",

Before I escaped a step the sound of an engine veered my sight to the gates. Troy's black SUV rolling in. My feet took me around to the passenger side first. Meeting the 6,4 Navy Seal that got out of the car. He hugged me tightly before reefing me back by the shoulders, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?", He all but yelled, "For fuck sake, Sierra, we have Agents dying left right and centre. And you decide today that you want to skip school and go on a road trip outside of your bounds. Then not tell anyone. William, Troy and I were searching for hours. We all fucking thought you were dead, Sierra. Prue is fucking beside herself. And for what?",

"I wanted to check this place out again", I darted my sight to the dirt, surrendering to his Eagle eyed glare. "I'm sorry.",

"Well you're also suspended from active duty without an outranking partner as back up, Agent Morningstar, I really fucking hope this was worth it now that you've taken three Agents out of Hawkins. And you better hope no one else dies while we are gone or you're fired. No exceptions, Sierra", He snarled, walking away from me before he said anything he'd regret. I flinched at the door that slammed shut. Meeting Troy's hazel eyes at the front of the SUV. "You're in big trouble, Kid", He teased, with a smirk, poking my cheek. "I talked that man out of taking your car off you and locking you in your room, you're welcome", He chided, placing his hand on my back as we walked closer to the dead body. "What did you kill old black magic with over there?", Troy asked when we were still far enough away from Dad who was talking to Billy anyway. That pissed off expression still firm on his face. I expected Troy to share it as well

"What's wrong with you?", I asked with a narrowed stare, "Why aren't you calling me reckless and selfish as well?",

He looked between me and the dead demon, "Because you did a good job. A dead demon and no casualties.",

"Can you tell Dad that?",

"The trick is to not be related to him",

"Thanks, I'll try that",

"So, what did you kill the demon with?",

"Assault rifle",

He stopped me with an outstretched arm, sudden worry burdening his soft eyes, "Did he get you?", Gloved hands framed my face for a second, his sight darting over me.

"He threw us both down the stairs", I sighed, smacking his hand away. Troy laughed out of his nostrils. "I forgot you're a freak about people touching you",

"Freak is a little mean", I bit back, stopping beside Dad, who knelt by that deceased creature.

"You two done?", Dad barked, looking between Troy and I. He was irritated. And I didn't blame him. "What am I looking at, Sierra?",

"It Called itself a shifter. Apparently it's not the same as the demon who possessed Harrelson. This one was a messenger.",

"And what was the message?", Dad ground out, visibly angry with me.

"Same as last time. All Agents need to go or...",

"Or?", Troy poked my ribs with his elbow. Fuck. I couldn't even look at either three of the men.

"The big bad evil will be coming for me next", I exhaled, finally meeting Dad's eyes. Billy beside him shared that same expression of disheartenment but somehow those expressive green eyes made looking at him even worse. Like I should've told him. It just went to show how good Dad's pokerface was. Because I knew if we were alone he would've just broken. This would've tipped him over the edge.

"What does that mean?", He asked, his brow raising. But that low voice. It gave him away.

"We were right, the demon is going to chose an Agent to possess to be its assassin. To kill all our Undercovers...And for some reason Men don't tolerate that kind of power. They bleed out the demon in that black ooze. They die too quickly",

"This fucking demon has chosen you as its vessel?", Dad rubbed his hand over his face. "Great. That's just great", I'm not sure whether it was sarcasm or frustration in his voice. Maybe a bit of both.

"No. Harrelson did", Troy exhaled, connecting the dots in his mind. "Think about it, she's our youngest Agent in Hawkins. She's pretty much been trained as a SEAL her whole life. She's been to the other world. And killed a Demogorgon. Evidently, killing Sierra hasn't worked out for it. It knows she's strong.",

Good old peace keeping Troy. He never much liked conflict. And that thing settling on Dad's face was just that. I talked only to calm him.

"So when I leave Hawkins it's going to come for Prue, then Redfield and Johnson. It—Uh, also said something about Harrelson setting the demon back by destroying that flesh and bone goop on the courtyard...But that's not all", I stopped to think for a second, "Paul's body—The real one, is under the utility shed at Hawkins High. He was dead days before he ever found Billy and I here",

Billy's head snapped up at the words, his eyes going as wide as I'd ever seen them. Like I'd shot him. Funny how the main reason he left me was because of the guilt he felt for shooting Harrelson. Well it wasn't Harrelson after all. It wasn't even human.

He wounded a demon.

"We'll deal with that later", Dad shook his head. Standing with crossed arms. "Right now we need to deal with the dead guy on the ground",

"Moving him into direct sunlight should do it, his skin is blistering in the shade", I uttered.

The four of us lifted that body and dumped it in the middle of the graveyard where the sun cleaved through the mossy earth. We all stepped back from it. Waiting. Watching. About five minutes went by of its flesh sizzling before it finally caught flame. Cinders and ash remaining in its wake.

When it was gone Dad spoke again,

"Agent Passmore, take Sierra home",

"I can drive, Dad",

"Agent Passmore", Dad raised his chin toward Troy.

"Come on, Kid", He murmured, tapping my glock with his knee. "We can get ice cream on the way back and listen to ABBA",

"Buddy, if you're listening to ABBA I'm taking a different car", I mumbled, following him back to his SUV.

"You used to love ABBA. Waterloo. You and my sister used to sing that shit at all times of the day. And trust me, I couldn't escape if I wanted to",

"Fuck off, you were preoccupied with Dana Sharp in the next room, that's why our music was so loud",

"I know, that's why I couldn't escape", He chuckled, sliding into the driver's seat.

"Fuck, I scraped the shit outta my rifle, I'm going to hide it in my back seat real quick", I panicked, quickly skipping over to my car. Between that and the twenty blood stained tissues on the floor. I scrunched them all in my hand and shoved them into my duffel. Until all evidence was gone.

"Have you finished hiding things from me yet or do you still need a minute?", Dad's voice scared the hell out of me. Slowing the pace I zipped back up that bag.

"My rifle is pretty fucked up, okay?", I sighed, turning to him there against the side of my car. Every inkling of worry forming in the darkness beneath his light blue eyes. Even his meticulously kept military haircut had begun to grow out longer than I'd ever seen it.

"Why?",

"It got thrown down the stairs",

"Hmm", His sight flicked up to the trees above us, "Were you attached to it?",

I nodded in response. Watching his jaw tighten. He let out this frustrated breath before speaking again. "Kid, I love you more than anything in this world but you're a fucking asshole.",

I scoffed at the words. Each of them panging hurt through my chest.

"I'm drowning trying to keep you alive, Sierra. Troy is studying the damn instruction manual for Demonology to fight this thing. Prue is never going to get a day off from duty because she's constantly covering for you and William, he pretty much looked like the breeze could knock him down by the end of our fun little conversation", Dad finally snapped, every morsel of him just trying to keep his shit together.

I swallowed, nodding to rid the sting of what he said. He didn't get it. He didn't understand. I smiled weakly because it was the only thing I could do. "What do you think I'm doing here? You don't think I see you doing all this? Yeah, you all want to fucking save me. What about you, Dad? What about Prue? Or Troy. Or William? I'm trying to keep you all alive while I'm still here.",

His throat bobbed against the words. Those ocean eyes going almost grey.

I was his daughter. I was all he had for a long time and the thought of losing me, it consumed him.

At 3Am even 4 that light downstairs was always on now. Sometimes he was on the phone talking really low, other times him and Noodles just sat in front of the fire, usually with a whiskey in his hand. But mostly he sat in his office, trying to make some sense of this.

"Don't say that. You're not a fucking minesweeper, Sierra. You're my daughter", He shook his head, like he couldn't believe I'd even think that.

"I'm an Agent second to that, Dad. And my job is to find demons", I couldn't stand seeing him so emotional. So ready to break. "So I need you, for the love of god, to relax a little. Even the cat's hair is falling out",

Dad laughed gently out of his nostrils. Those silver rimmed eyes blinking rapidly before he brought me in for a hug. His Kevlar hard against my face. We didn't do the whole heart to heart thing so he spoke there "I'm going to take William out for a chat. So I won't be home for a bit.",

"A chat?", I questioned as I pulled away.

"What's he drink?",

"If he's driving, a coffee. White with two sugars .",

"What's he eat?",

"Anything a fat ten year old would. You're pretty safe with a bakery. He'll get a donut of some description, probably jelly filled and a toasted sandwich with no tomato",

"He allergic?",

"Only to shellfish. He just doesn't like the taste of tomatoes I think",

"No lobster. Got it, anything else I should know?",

"No Iron Maiden",

"No Iron maiden?", Dad gasped, like it was the most disgusting thing he'd ever heard.

"He's a Foreigner type of guy",

"Yay, hit me with some Jukebox hero", He rolled his eyes, "Has he heard number of the beast?",

"Doesn't like it",

"I see why he's an Ex",

I smacked his arm with warning, scoffing, "Dad",

Troy's voice pierced the air from beside my truck, "You ready to go Kid? I'm running out of ways to pretend I can't hear everything you're saying?",

I shook my head, watching Billy look over his shoulder from talking to Troy. "Keep your panties on, Passmore",

"I've got places to be.",

"Yeah, I'm sure your hot date with your left hand can wait", I shot back, watching his eyes narrow. "Dean you asked me to take your daughter home not Beelzebub.",

"Sierra", Dad groaned, looking just done with me. "Do you have to?",

My sight crawled beyond Dad, back to Troy, "Did you just tell on me, Passmore? I'll kick your ass with him as a witness",

"Aw that's cute,",

"Shut up",

"You're small", Troy snickered, donning his dark glasses. "And vicious. Like a chihuahua",

I frowned at him, and turned my sight back to Dad. "I can do the damage control, Dad. You and Troy have other things to do. It might be easier coming from me anyway.",

"You want to sit down with your Ex and make sure what he saw today didn't scar him beyond sanity?",

"It's my fault he was here, anyway", I sighed.

"Baby girl, I think it'll be nicer coming from me.",

"Yeah, you alone with my Ex boyfriend who cheated on me. No thanks", I spoke lightly.

"When the uniform is on I'm a Special Agent. Not Dad",

"Exactly, so let me do it", I smiled gently, watching his eyes narrow.

—————————————-

Two hours outside of Hawkins, in a town I didn't know the name of, I sat down with Billy Hargrove at a hillside cafe overlooking the mountains. Dad left Everdeen Castle with Troy so we could take seperate cars without killing each other. I changed back into my school clothes before getting out. Flares, a singlet and leather jacket. I kept the combat boots on for practicality. My Agent badge coming with me on the belt of my gun holster. That glock came with me too.

Nothing was said between us as we swept out of our cars. I didn't even park next to him. This was Agent business. In that cafe I wasn't his Ex-Fiancé. I was a CIA operative. And he was a witness to demonic activity.

I slid into a booth at the rear of the café, our view overlooking the mountain range below. There was a deck behind us if you were really interested in the view. But I wasn't. And as Billy slid in across from me the waitress came over to us. A blonde perky woman with beaming smile.

"Hi, how are we doing this fine day? Can I get you a menu at all? Or do we already know what we want?",

I looked over that menu she provided, speaking as my eyes looked over the words.

"Vanilla Latte with extra syrup. A Cappuccino with no sugar. A toasted ham and cheese sandwich without the tomato. A jam and cream donut. And a slice of apple pie.", I spoke without even really thinking. Meeting the green eyes ahead of me.

"Is that what you were going to order?",

"Pretty much", He exhaled, tapping his silver ring on the edge of the table.

The waitress smiled at me after she'd finished writing down our order, leaning over to take the menu from my hands. "He a convict?", She murmured, eyes darting to my badge. I nodded in response, meeting her deep brown eyes. "Uh huh, He beheaded a man in Indiana. I've been chasing him all over the country",

"Really?", Her black lined eyes went as wide as saucers. She was young. Not as young as us. Maybe mid twenties. And very perky in all aspects of the word.

"No, we're just having a chat", I smirked in response, she touched my shoulder while she giggled, "Oh, you're just wicked.",

Then she was gone again. Scuttling off to the kitchens.

"Beheaded a man in Indiana?", Billy scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Did Dean explain to you what this is?", I spoke above his question.

"Vaguely",

"This is the part where you tell me whether what you saw today at Everdeen castle is going to stay with you for the rest of your life",

"I didn't see anything.", He shot back.

"What happened when you got out of your car? Explain to me the first ten minutes after you got through those gates.",

He sat back in the booth chair, staring at me blankly. "I saw you at the bottom of the stairs and I saw a demon dead next to you.",

"How'd that feel after the last time you were at Everdeen Castle?", I asked monotonously, like he was just another witness.

"Pretty fucking terrible.",

"Why?",

"Why?", He chuckled lowly, every fibre of him hating this. He looked ready to squirm out of his skin.

"Shutting down is a trauma response. I need to know how bad the trauma is",

"Why? Are you going to get me taken away in a strait jacket?"

"Do you feel you need to be?",

"No", He grunted softly.

"Then why did it feel pretty fucking terrible?", I continued. This was the only way I was going to make it through this. By keeping it as formal as I could. No matter how uncomfortable it made me.

To be so cold to someone I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with. Who I'd shared a house with. All my secrets.

It was the hardest part of all.

————-

Why did it feel terrible?

How could she ask me that?

It hadn't stopped feeling terrible from the minute Dean Morningstar dragged me into the nurse's office and told me An agent was dead and they couldn't find Sierra. From then on I felt like I wasn't really there. Like I could hear my own heart beating in my ears. It wasn't real.

Because The last thing I'd ever really said to her was that I didn't want to be with her. I said some pretty fucking cruel things before that as well. Did some even worse shit to her.

Fuck, she was bleeding in the school parking lot and I let her leave. I let Kelsey say that stupid stuff to her.

...She couldn't be dead.

Shit. She was so upset in that carpark that morning. I know she was. Because I took this Kelsey bullshit too far.

I did this to her.

I did this.

It hurt so much I could barely breathe.

I tried to forget but something stuck with me the night I fucked everything up.

I can hear Sierra so vividly in my mind telling me through the tears that I was the only reason she was still in Hawkins. Coming that bit closer to death everyday.

I loved her too much to see her in as much pain as she was in. The trauma from watching Harrelson die. That night I saw how bad I'd gotten. How I knowingly hurt her to make myself feel better.

I'm certain that night I broke her. Without meaning to I did. Hearing her sob because of the fucked up shit I said still replayed In my mind. How her hands quaked against her lips to silence it.

I disrespected her in every way I could after Everdeen castle. I lied, drank and smoked around her even though I knew her lungs couldn't take it. My pain seemed more severe. More traumatic than hers. Because she was an Agent. She was trained for this. I wasn't. I needed more time. More patience.

She didn't.

But she wasn't fine.

Sierra, when I look back, was a fucking wreck. And I was there throwing knives at her and wondering why she wasn't paying attention to me. Why she didn't want me like she did when we were first dating.

...It wasn't something I realised until the damage was done. I wasn't that self aware.

Prue Hallows found it within herself to be at my car with a chagrin smirk on the morning before Sierra and my big fight. She didn't scream at me. Or throw a punch. She didn't need hands for that. Her words cut deeply enough into me without them.

So, I took myself out of the picture.

I thought Sierra would be out of Hawkins fast enough to see a smoke trail in her wake. I wanted her to run and never turn back. To forget me and all I'd done to her.

But she didn't. She fucking stayed.

And now, driving to the last place she might be, there were no words for what I felt. Nothing that could fix the ache at the pit of my chest. All I had was finding my girl.

My Morningstar.

The same memory played over in my mind. Remnants of this one freezing cold morning when we were together.

She got up before me, she always did.

I opened my eyes, like I had so many times before, and she was sitting in her grey armchair with her legs tucked beside her. Watching the birds outside with Noodles safe on her lap and her black throw blanket draping around her middle Because a cup of tea was clasped to her hands and nothing got in the way of her and her tea.

I remember her looking so beautiful for no real reason. Her black hair was disheveled but not in a way that made her seem unkempt. Each waving strand of it thrown carelessly over one side of her shoulder and sticking up in some places.

Her lips moved but I couldn't hear what she was saying to Noodles. I could see, when her blanket shifted, that she was wearing my maroon shirt. Buttoned loosely at her navel. She wore A silver lace bra beneath it.

Then I was caught in that Clint Eastwood stare. Blue eyes the colour of the sea narrowed on me and she smiled. This excited, happy to see me, grin. The one where her dimples created divots in her cheeks and her teeth poked through her lips. The kind of thing that made your heart beat a little faster.

That morning sun hitting her face just right. "Hi", She spoke in her low, early morning tone, smiling into her tea as she took a sip. "I'm glad you're awake",

"Why? What are we doing?",

"Nothing, I like looking at you",

The answer caught me off guard. Made me blush. No one had ever talked to me like that. Like I was the only thing that mattered.

We were long past the 'I love yous', although hearing it from her was something that never got old. I wondered if there was something more powerful than that to feel. If the way she made me feel was humanly possible. And I caught myself staring again. Watching her saunter over to me with that blanket wrapped around her.

"The next house we move to is going to have a thermostat", She spoke while putting her cup down next to me. "And a pool. And a laundry chute",

"Anything else?", I scoffed as she hovered above me, her hair touching my face. As well as that tiny crystal bottle she wore as a necklace. It swung above me like a glitter filled pendulum. Calmly swinging back and forth.

A part of me loved that she treated it like it was the most valuable thing she owned. Because every time I saw that silver glitter I thought about Helton's insane asylum. About the first time I kissed her. Maybe she did too.

I could feel the warmth from her tea on my cheek as she spoke, "Hmm, Three cats or two dogs and a cat",

She slowly kissed me and I felt my thoughts slip into nothingness.

"Why stop there?", I spoke for lack of words. Blinking twice to set myself straight.

"A two storey mansion. With a black iron fence around it and two guard dogs. In Arkansas",

"Sounds expensive",

"Hmm, maybe that's why they call it a dream",

...I don't know why I remembered that morning so well. It wasn't significant in any way. It was just one of many mornings I woke up at Sierra's house. Back when it was both of ours.

She had to be at Everdeen castle. Had to.

There was a moment of relief when her red truck came into my sight. It was hard to miss. Then there was this other feeling. This breathless, couldn't get to her fast enough, feeling. What I Imagine being stabbed through the chest feels like.

She was there.

But she wasn't moving at the bottom of the castle's stairs.

I don't recall getting out of the car but I did. I ran to her without a thought for the demon beside her. Without checking If he was dead.

I'd let him take me too, I didn't care.

Fuck. There was blood. So much blood.

Black and red painted her tactical gear. Painted her.

Still she looked dead with the sun shining down on her cheek. Wearing that pitch black armour. The only beautiful thing among this nightmare.

"Sierra", I pleaded, falling beside her. She didn't move. "Come on, baby", I hauled her lifeless body onto my lap, and wept "I need you".

She was cold. Really cold. Cobbles bit into my knees, the sun beating down on us. But she didn't move. I pressed my fingers against her throat to see if she was even breathing. A steady throb beating against my hand. Fuck. She couldn't do this to me. I didn't know where the nearest hospital was around here. Or the closest town.

"Open your eyes, baby. Please",

Her chest rose and fell under solid Kevlar but that was it. There were no more signs that she was lucid.

Those three stitches in her eyebrow still wept though. Puss instead of blood now.

I don't think she was shot. If she was then it wasn't bad enough to bleed.

"Fuck, Sierra", My hand lightly tapped her cheek and I waited for some sort of response. Anything.

I had to get her out of here.

Fuck. She looked really hurt. And I couldn't tell where the blood came from. If it had all come from the split stitches in her eyebrow or if she was wounded somewhere else. If she was she'd probably die before we reached the hospital.

No, she wasn't dying. I wouldn't let her.

Tears slid down my face as I pleaded, "Please, Come back to me",

Nothing.

Only that warm pool of black blood beneath her.

"Come on, baby. What about our two storey house in Arkansas? And our two dogs...We've got plans. I can't do it alone. When I fix myself we'll do all that stuff. We'll get married.", I nodded quickly, "We'll get married",

There was no me without her. So I needed her to wake up. Wake up and just scream at me. I just wanted her to scream at me finally. Let me know what an asshole I was. Hit me maybe.

She never got the chance to. I didn't give her one.

"Sierra!",

A sharp breath of air scared the life out of me. Then her body jolted up.

"Don't fucking touch me",

———————

"Jesus fucking Christ", Billy whispered, hanging his arm over the top of his booth seat. "You looked pretty dead to me",

"What did you feel when you saw a demon again?",

"I didn't really care. I was preoccupied making sure you were alive.",

"And how did you know the demon was dead before you did that?",

"The four bullet holes were a dead giveaway",

"This time.", I corrected him, "You weren't trained to make that judgment. We always make sure the target is dead, doesn't matter if I'm bleeding out. The cost of saving me could've come at countless lives. You were blessed that I'm a good shot. Or you'd be dead, do you understand?",

"The word you're searching for is thank you",

"I didn't want you there. I didn't ask you to be there. CIA business doesn't involve you",

"I'd be a badass Agent",

"You're not an Agent. ",

"Dean asked me to find you. And I did."

"I'll deal with Dean when I'm home. But that gun doesn't leave your car, Billy. Let me handle the demons. You go be a kid",

A sharp breath left his nostrils. That thing he didn't instead of showing that I'd insulted him. "Sierra I said a lot of sh—",

I interrupted him before he started, "Not Sierra",

"What?",

"It's Agent Morningstar",

"Okay", He stuttered,

"Agent Passmore will check in with you in two days incase you were lying to me", I exhaled while shaking a sugar packet in my hand, "If you think of anything else let him know",

"Hmm, my favourite person", He huffed, eyes watching as the waitress brought over our food and coffees. She placed them down in front of us and I eyed the extra drink with a puzzled expression. A glass of wine.

"That's from the gentleman at the bar", The waitress, Vikki, spoke softly, motioning to a dark haired man that turned around on queue. Both arms were covered in ink, well from what I could see under his black shirt that was neatly rolled up to his elbow. He had this scar through his eyebrow and enough well kept facial hair to really make him seem wild...and rugged. So rugged.

"Holy fuck, is he real?", I murmured to Vikki,

"As real as that gun. He's a local. No one really knows much about him except he was an Army Ranger. I think his name is James or Jarred. He's very mysterious and keeps to himself.",

"Hmm, if only I wasn't on the clock", I sighed,

"So I'll tell him no?",

"Yeah, but like a sad no", I snickered, watching her take away that wine.

The person across from me just smirking.

"What?", I questioned, taking a sip from my coffee.

"Nothing", He shrugged innocently.

"Then stop smirking at me",

"You always attract the oldies", He snickered, leaning forward in his chair.

"That guy was like twenty eight",

"Old", He corrected me, "Just like Firefighter Ernie at the club",

"His name wasn't Ernie",

"I'd like to think it was. He was like forty",

"You didn't even see him",

"He was Old",

"Yeah well I'd take him over an eighteen year old any day", I spoke, probably a bit too quickly. Billy scoffed to himself, biting into his sandwich. And I ripped open my sugar packet and poured it into my coffee. Stirring clockwise.

"Since when do you put sugar in anything?", He asked.

"Since a demon beat my ass and I've had to deal with you all day", I bit in response, tearing open another packet. He watched me stir it then take a long sip. Every fibre of me still ached from falling down those stairs. I'm Sure I'd feel even worse the day after.

He asked through mouthfuls of sandwich, "You don't have to talk to me, but can I at least explain the Kelsey thing?",

It took me by surprise. The sincerity in his voice.

"Free country", I shrugged nonchalantly, even though my heart wasn't ready for that conversation. My hands picked up my fork and dug at that piece of apple pie before me just for something to distract me.

"Sierra. This wasn't easy for me—",

"Sure looked easy",

"I know it looks that way", He nodded gently before looking at me with a tilted sort of gaze, "Kelsey is with an older guy. A teacher I think. She doesn't want anyone to find out",

I laughed gently, "Is this older guy next to me in this stall? Am I sitting on him?", I couldn't believe him. What a bullshit lie.

"It sounds fucked up. I know it does,"

"Look. I'm not here to discuss whether your new girlfriend's boyfriend is real or not. So eat your food so I can finish this conversation and go home.",

It was silent after that. Until we'd both finished eating and Vikki came to clear the plates.

"Where were we?", I cleared my throat, lifting my sight back to Billy.

"You were asking me if I was going to kill myself after seeing a demon",

"Are you?",

"No.", He huffed.

"Good", I exhaled, standing to leave. But Billy spoke before I could even slide out from behind the booth.

"I'm not with Kelsey.",

"Fucking marry her for all I care.", I bit back,

"I really wish you'd just scream at me. Just hit me or something."

"Fuck you. And fuck what you want", I snarled.

He held his hands up in surrender. And I slid out from that booth. Taking it upon myself to find the bathroom before I left.

I peed quickly then came back out. To my surprise Billy was still there at the booth. Waiting for me for some unknown reason. I wish he would've just left. Just fucked off. Over head 'I want to know what love is' by Foreigner boomed down from the speakers.

"Fuck", I sighed, turning to the bar. I needed a drink. But I couldn't drink on the job.

"You know I won't tell if you happen to slip and choke down a whiskey", A deep sultry voice spoke from beside me. It was him. That tall, rugged guy from before. Fuck he was hot. I smiled to myself. Laughing out of my nostrils. "Despite how it looks, I actually like my job",

"I would too if I got to carry around a gun in public", He murmured, leaning that bit closer to me. I was standing and he was sitting on a stool and we were pretty much the same height. I'd hate to see him standing. Man was built like a battering ram. "It's part of the uniform",

"And what uniform is that?", He asked, those damning honey coloured eyes baring into me. His tattooed fingers swirling the alcohol in his glass. Did I mention he was knee weakeningly hot?

"CIA", I exhaled.

"Aren't you a little young?",

"Yeah, but I'm good", I skimmed my teeth over my lower lip once then twice.

"Hmm, I bet, is that why you're here with goldilocks over there?",

"No", I shook my head, "That is a much more complicated story",

"Yeah, you seem like a complicated person",

"Ain't that the truth",

"Since he's not in handcuffs I assume he's not a criminal",

"Far from it",

"Boyfriend?"

"Ex-Fiancé", I watched him wince at the words.

"Who left who?",

"That was all him", I murmured, those honey coloured eyes sweeping me over. "He left me for a slut with big boobs, burnt off hair and an IQ of 2...I was kinda hoping he'd be gone by now. You wouldn't be interested in moving him along would you?", I asked softly, turning to him with my whole body. He smiled through blindly white teeth, drinking the rest of his rum. "I'm guessing you don't mean with violence?"

"No, That boy is pretty but he swings like a boxer.",

Mystery guy chuckled, speaking in a breathy tone, "What's in it for me?",

"You don't want to serve your country?"

"Sweetheart, I served my country three times over and all I got was scars and a drinking problem",

"Well", I drawled, "Consider this a thank you for your service.",

His hand was on my ass before I even finished the sentence. The smell of rum radiating from his breath as he roughly grasped the side of my neck. Then his lips met mine. Claiming what I'd gladly give him. The smell of him like diesel and spice. The kind of thing that pulsed excitement through my chest. And though he looked dangerous his kiss was soft and slow. "You're welcome, Agent", He spoke against my lips, picking up that newly filled glass of rum with his spare hand.

I was a little dizzy after that. A little alight.

I turned from him with a smile, honey coloured eyes watching my ass as I walked. I could see it in the bar mirror. My steps passing Billy by with not even a shared glance.

Before we were together he would've punched that guy so fast. He would be ready to go down for murder. But now. He just stayed in that booth drinking his coffee. Unbothered. Uncaring.

Out of the café doors I felt my head become a bit clearer. That cold mountain air washing over me.

Fuck, I think I'd turned into Billy. He hurt me once and I'd hurt him back twice as hard. But I needed him out of my life. And if this was the way to do it then I would. It's not like it bothered him. He'd moved on with Kelsey. Why would he still care about me? Why should I even try to make him jealous?

This kind of behaviour wasn't me. It was sadistic and cruel. Like all I wanted to do was see him hurt as much as I did. And that would never happen...

I walked across the car park. To the twenty miles away park I'd taken at the end of the gravelled space. Damn this was a big car park. It was pretty dark out by this time. The sun setting high in the sky. Fog began to roll in off the mountains. The road just pure mist beyond the trees that overarched it. Something very fairytale about it. Like this were a castle crested high above a city. Adorned in fog and mist. A little spooky with how thick that fog was. I could barely see that red truck through it. Let alone any cars that could've hit me in the lot.

I felt the front pocket of my jeans for my keys, unlocking the driver's door. My mind in a haze. My heart still beating out of my chest. That was definitely the bravest thing I'd ever done. Who even was that rugged man? Ugh, he was beautiful. Not like Billy's sort of beautiful but still handsome. Those eyes. His short beard. The tattoos. It was enough to make me swoon.

Smoke escaped over my shoulder. A grey cloud settling on my cheek. And I turned to the man standing at my back shrouded in fog. He pinned my wrists above my head. Binding them against the doorframe with all his weight. I gasped against it. But I wasn't afraid. Not as those green eyes fleetingly swept over my lips. Then his mouth slammed into mine. Possessively pushing his body into me. I welcomed this roughness. His hurt that came out in this depraved sort of way. Seeping from his pores. A hand grasped my ass and he hoisted me against himself. His fingers leaving bruising imprints on my thighs that enclosed around his waist. The taste of cigarettes and vanilla on his tongue. I could only hold onto my shred of self restraint when his mouth met the side of my neck.

"I told you, I'm not your friend with benefits", I spoke between my ragged breaths, every fibre of me wanting him, "I'm not your whore",

"Then make me yours", He murmured, lustfully tracing his finger down my collar and he release my hands he kept restrained above me.

"No.", I spoke firmly, grasping the side of his face where stubble had begun to grow. It made him look a bit older. A bit wiser, "But I'll say goodbye to you",

"Goodbye?", He near whispered.

"Goodbye",

"Because you're leaving?",

I didn't answer, but swept the hair from his eyes, "You have beautiful eyes William.",

Those eyes that I had thought were depthless balked with the words. Becoming so glassy I could barely stand to look at him. "Then this is goodbye", He nodded, kissing me again before the tears fell.

And what we did on that mountainside after dark was our last goodbye. In all meaning of the word.

The end of our niceties. The end of all that had mattered before.

And even though he tried to call me after that night. Once then seven times. I found the strength to let him go. To ignore them. I think that hurt him more than anything. At school, surrounded by his friends he couldn't talk to me and I'd changed the pin on the front gate too for good measure. There was no more us.

Just Sierra and Billy, two kids that went to the same school.

————————————

Agent Johnson didn't like me. It was plain and clear.

And with matters to do with Paul Harrelson she was like a mountain lion ready to jump on me. Since Redfield and House uncovered his rotting corpse beneath the utility shed she'd been very protective of anything pertaining to the lost Agent. Including his office that withheld all of his personal items. She'd made sure to lock it securely so no other Agent could get in or out. Which really hindered my investigation on those Latin words.

Vivamus was all I had. And I was willing to bet that what I needed to translate the rest was in Paul's chained up office. I let Johnson know that and she met me with a scathing, 'Over my dead body'. Then toddled off to her classroom.

She left me no choice really.

After school I waited by that firmly closed window to Paul's office. My back against the brick as I pretended to sprawl out my homework. Occasionally glancing up to see if those students by the water fountain had dispersed yet.

His office was on the side of the school building, facing the woods. Not many people passed this way unless they were being let out of detention. Which, most had already come striding out. All too keen to get out of there.

I waited for five minutes after the last students had vacated, peering left and right before I jammed my pocket knife into the space between the window sill and the latch that held it shut. I tried to do it as fast as possible but the latch didn't want to move.

"Come on you fucker", I grunted, wriggling my knife until the silver lock popped up. Finally. I exhaled my bated breath as I retracted the weapon and folded it's blade. Tucking it safely back into my Front pocket.

My fingers strained to get beneath the small space between the sill and window. The damn thing felt like it hadn't been opened in a decade. Sticking even as I got it up an inch. With little more than a strained grunt I popped that window all the way up, just as a voice spoke,

"Freeze",

I startled, turning around quickly to see Tommy behind me with a grin, looking between me and that window. "Whatcha doing?",

"This is exactly what it looks like", I smirked, watching his smile widen as he looked around.

"I've known many a student try to break out of this place but I think you're the first to break in",

"Yeah well, desperate times", I shrugged.

"You know the front doors are still open?",

"It's locked from the inside", I motioned to Paul's office.

"We stealing?", He asked, peering through the window.

"Nothing of value",

"I'm in", He shrugged, holding up that window for me. "I've never desecrated a dead teacher's office before",

I scoffed lightly, hauling myself up onto that window sill. One leg in and the other hanging on the outside of the building. Straddling the damn thing. My ass almost to Tommy's face.

"The view is astounding", Tommy snickered and I kicked him hard in the thigh before clattering to the ground on the other side of the window.

"Ow", I murmured, not realising how much of a drop there would be. But I picked myself up quickly off the carpet. "The fall is bigger than—"

Before I finished the words Tommy's tall figure came hurtling through the window, crashing to the ground but rolling to save himself. He landed somewhat on his feet, the window slamming shut behind him.

"Never mind", I chuckled and drew the blinds in case anyone walked past the building.

His office was small and filled almost head to toe with paperwork and books. A corner desk sat against the far wall with a bookshelf behind it. Upon its shelves there was medals and trinkets. Artefacts from Egypt. I traced a line though the dust.

"What are we looking for?", Tommy asked.

What indeed.

"A book in Latin. Containing this word", I turned to the chalkboard, sprawling out 'Vivamus' with blue chalk. I had no doubt Johnson had everything in here catalogued and memorised. So taking anything to the extent of what I'd need wouldn't fly. She'd know it was me straight away. And probably spout conspiracy theories to Jameson on the why.

"Roger", He nodded quickly, taking a seat at Harrelson's desk. Bottle green eyes looking over every surface. Pulling open drawers.

I started at the bookshelf. Skimming through the hard spines that faced me. None were in Latin. But I kept searching, hoping to find at least one usable book. One clue even to what Paul had spoken to me that fateful day.

"I sent my Mom those photos", Tommy spoke as he rifled through Harrelson's filing cabinet.

"The Polaroids?", I asked mindlessly while skimming through the second shelf.

"Yeah, I think she has us married. She called me as soon as they came in the mail to ask why we were sitting so close in the photo. What does it mean? I'm pretty sure in her day you didn't hold hands until you were engaged...But if our marriage doesn't pan out I think she's going to try for Prue", He explained.

"Then Steve?", I teased, laughing through my nostrils.

"Marriage is marriage", He shrugged, flicking through the pages of a document.

"You know I actually remember your mom, her name is Maeve, right?",

"That's her.",

"She was there at Gena Reibelt's sixth birthday party when I stacked it on the concrete. She put a unicorn Band-AID on my knee and gave me a lollipop",

"Ugh, the unicorn Band-AIDS", Tommy groaned, remembering it in great detail. "I have two brothers. And we all got the unicorn band aids. I think she wanted a daughter...",

"Did it stop you from hurting yourself though?", I shrugged.

"You think she used reverse psychology on us?", He asked, muttering, "Evil woman",

"I'll trade you, I got Guns and Cars. I want the unicorn Band-AIDS",

"But your Mom was such a material girl, how'd she get such a boy?", Tommy's face shrivelled.

"I think the deal was if Mom had to Birth me, Dad had to raise me. After Hadley Dad and I didn't really live with her again until I was twelve. And by that point I was already too far gone to save", I joked

"What happened when you were twelve?",

"Dad got her pregnant again. Twins. Yay", I groaned, pulling out three books from the bottom shelf that looked to be in Latin. "She fucked off again pretty soon though",

"Rough.", He let out a low whistle, "I'll do you one better, though",

"I'm listening",

"My Dad went down for money laundering and tax fraud",

"Was he a drug lord?", I asked.

"Pilot", Tommy shrugged, not phased by the confession. "Fifteen years in the joint",

"How old were you?",

"Eighteen", He murmured, "Is it too late to blame that for all my problems?",

"Little bit", I laughed, reading over some nonsensical passages. It was Latin but not the Latin I needed. "So who do you live with here in Hawkins?",

"I lived with Dad then I moved in with my rich grandparent's outside of town. I have one of those bald cats now. I call him scrotum", He explained.

"A sphinx? I love those cats.",

"Yeah, his actual name is Archibald The Destroyer. He's pretty cool. I've never had a cat before. And I think he might be plotting to kill me",

"I would too with that nickname",

"He sleeps on my face. It's odd waking up to a grey roast chicken on your head",

"He's probably cold",

"No, Nan knitted him a wardrobe. I'm talking Jackets and beanies...I caught him trying to jump off the balcony after that...",

"So what? do you live In a mansion with butlers?", I asked, reading over the same passage about fifty times.

"Not quite. It's a six bedroom Victorian Manor with a maid called Anne who spits curses at me in Spanish every time she cleans my room",

"Ew, what's in your room?", I looked up from the book, taking a seat on the carpet.

He laughed, swivelling towards me with a book in his hand. "Dead hookers.",

"Oh good, I thought it was like drugs or something",

"Nah, it's all that Satanic stuff, my cousin stays over a lot though so sometimes it is the old Mary J and Snot sugar hanging around",

"Wait You're actually a Satanist?", I asked,

"Not really. I like scaring people with it though",

"It's fun right?", I laughed, watching his smile widen. He had beautiful teeth. As weird as it sounds. Very straight and well kept. They made his Angular face and skinny nose all the more appealing. His cheek and jawline could cut through stone alone. Very different from that kid I knew in Hadley. He spoke again, tapping his knuckle against his thigh. "You took a lot of heat off us when Stacy accused you of being the Queen of the Satanists. Before that we were the ones who got sworn at in the streets. Called freaks and Weirdos. It all kinda changed when it was a girl. And a hot one, owning up to being a Satan worshipper. You made it a thing",

"And that's why your friends worship me?",

"They get bullied a lot less. I mean it didn't really matter to me, I'll fly kick a mother fucker, but my cousin used to come home bloodied and bruised a lot of the time. And his friends too. By people kinda like your Ex-boyfriend. Didn't really matter if Ed was at school or in public. These yokels saw the shirts or the jackets as a hate crime", Tommy explained.

"But you're a popular Satanist?", I questioned, "You're one of Billy's best friends.",

"Yeah and we became friends by beating the shit out of each other. Everyone expects the devil worshipping stuff from me though, if you haven't noticed, I'm a bit strange. But they didn't expect a chick to come into the lunchroom and start cussing at Stacy Messner in tongues."

"It was Latin actually 'Es Scortum Obscenus Vilis', it means 'You're a filthy perverted whore'. And it's the only bit of Latin I know.",

"You told Stacy she was a whore? Amazing", He chuckled, holding his stare even as I looked back at what I was doing.

"I heard it on those seedy channels that are on after midnight once and it's the only thing I remember",

"It's all you need right?",

I laughed in response, turning the page over. I didn't understand a word of it.

"You know, you don't seem like the type of person who's bothered by people like Billy Hargrove", I spoke softly.

"No one likes being called a freak.", He shrugged, "You get the shit kicked outta you so many times you begin to question some things.",

"But you're so...Flamboyant. I can't imagine anyone trying to hurt you",

"It's all in self preservation. Now people will be suspicious if I go missing. They'll ask questions",

"Oh, a ruse. Do you get home after a day of socialising and just stare at the ceiling until you have to live another day in this cesspit?", I asked,

"Pretty much", He murmured, "I didn't even think of telling our fellow students to fuck off when they shouted mean things to me in the halls",

"It all comes with the whole scary bitch look I have. It's both a blessing and a curse",

"You do look prepared for knife combat at any given moment", He nodded,

"I give out an aura of 'Don't fuck with me', It works great until you have to remember how to talk to someone...",

"Yeah, see I don't radiate an sort of intimidating energy whatsoever. And I'm definitely not an academic. My humour is all I have.", Tommy confessed.

"You give me a list of names, and I'll beat them up for you, Okay?",

"All Hail Queen Sierra", He snickered, "A wise and fair leader".

"You know you speak very intellectually for someone who doesn't consider themselves an academic",

"I mean I failed nearly all my classes. I'm only graduating because I think they just don't want me to stick around",

"Ever consider writing? You come up with some entertaining shit":

"Nah, I have that thing where I can't focus on words. And I spell things backwards. Can't do numbers either.",

"You write with both hands though, don't you?".

"Yeah, I'm ambidextrous.",

"Wicked", I commented, watching him do a full spin in his chair.

"Okay, can I ask the question of the day?", He blurted out. Stopping the seat.

"Sure",

"You don't have to tell me but, How did the You and Billy thing happen? That was just insane",

I thought on it for a second, opening my mouth to speak about four times. "You know I'm not sure. He was just always at our lunch table after Stacy and him were a thing. Then he crash tackled Jimmy Volksem after the whole assault happened. I just couldn't shake him after that", I shrugged, remembering those first weeks like it were yesterday. "You know he rocked up at my door once just covered in his own blood, after he'd yelled at me, threatened me and overall just kinda left me to die of my injuries from Stacy's party. He was drunk as anything and one of his eyes was just blood. Like completely red. I put his knee back into place on my kitchen counter and he passed out onto me.",

"And he realised he was in love with you the whole time?", Tommy tried to finish the story.

"No", I scoffed, "Billy was just as nasty after that as well, that didn't start to go away until I got Stacy arrested. And he found me victoriously strolling home from Hawkins High at nine in the morning. He didn't know what to say to me after that. Anyway, we went to a few Haunted places, a lake, a kids playground in the middle of the night. I wasn't even sure he liked me any more than a friend until he tried to kiss me after I'd run my car off the road in the storm. My Dad walked in and we both jumped back so fast", I laughed.

"Did you like him though?",

"I liked his dark sense of humour, and that he was smart, a lot smarter than anyone gives him credit for. A lot of people are nice to your face and talk shit behind your back but you really knew where you stood with him. He'd tell you whether It was blunt or not. But for the most part I knew he cared a lot more than he showed...", I exhaled, "Sorry, I'm rambling now",

"No, kudos to you, I thought he had the emotional capacity of a peanut.",

"What about you? How'd you two end up being best friends?", I cocked my head to ask, watching his eyes search around his skull. His lips pressing together.

"First week of Senior year I ran into him at Ed's lunch table. He was giving him shit about playing DND at recess with his friends. And I remember him just being a fucking asshole. Calling them fags and queers...My cousin doesn't have a lot, his mom and dad are dead, he lives in a trailer park. You get the idea. Anyway Billy swiped his twenty sided dice and threw it into the garden. I went and got it, gave it back to Ed then told Billy to fuck off. It did not go well...I got a bloodied nose, he got a split lip from my rings. And we both got suspended for two days.", Tommy shrugged, "We settled the dispute at the Halloween party last year over a few litres of Rum. He's a pretty fun guy outside of school. We've done a lot of dumb and illegal things together",

"Does he leave your cousin alone now, though?",

"Yeah, they're cool. We hang out at my Grandparent's place sometimes. Smoke some w—Meat.",

I laughed at his quick save.

"I really don't understand men, you know? One minute you're throwing fists the next you're best friends",

"We're simple creatures. Throw in a six pack and we forget what the fight was about",

"Hmm", I nodded, getting back to what I was doing.

It was quiet for a bit as we both skimmed through the pages before us. The sound of turning paper all that filled the silence. My eyes flickered to the photo frame on Paul's book shelf. His wife and two daughters, Deanna and Hazel. I swallowed hard against it. Glancing at the reflection of his blackboard and the word, 'Acenes' written in chalk. Probably more Latin nonsense,

That was until...

"Oh. Oh. Oh. Bingo", Tommy tapped my wrist excitedly, luring me to my feet.

"What?", I came around his side. Looking over his shoulder.

"Vivamus Quoniam Morimur", He read aloud.

"—Let us live, since we must die", I exhaled. Stilling with the words. I didn't expect them to hit me so hard but they did. "Harrelson said this to me shortly before he died. I didn't know what it meant then",

"Then I say we take this book for good measure", Tommy nodded, getting up quickly to the sound of approaching footsteps. Probably Johnson.

Shit.

We shared a mutual expression of wide eyed panic. Freezing.

"Window?",

"Window", I nodded, tucking that leather bound book under my arm. He held open the window and I dived through quickly, slamming shoulder first into the pavement. Tommy's body clattered down next to me not a second later. Landing half on me as the window slammed back shut. We were both still as the door squeaked open from inside. Johnson's shadow cast on the glass pane.

"Go. Go. Go!", I half whispered, half yelled as I grabbed his wrist and got quickly to my feet. Dragging him behind me. When he was up we legged it. Running so fast my ribs ached. Tommy held onto my arm, slowing us down when we hit the traffic of school kids in the carpark. Both of us red faced and panting.

"Holy shit", I laughed breathlessly, tapping his chest as I keeled over, holding my ribs.

"You think she saw us?", He asked, laughing all the same. "My fucking chain got caught on the edge.",

I chuckled harder at the words, leaning into him as we walked drunkenly through the carpark. "You still have your wallet though, right?",

Tommy felt his pockets quickly, exhaling when he whipped out the rectangle of leather attached to his chain.

"That could've been bad", He murmured, pulling a stick from my hair. And as we passed Kelsey's Red Volkswagen she coughed loudly, speaking "Um...What've you two been up to?", She smirked, looking between his fingers and the stick. "You're looking awfully friendly",

Billy was there, of course Billy was there. Not beside her but three people down. Smoking like a house on fire. His sight flickered to us at the words. Staying on me.

He was hurt. I know he was. Because I'd thoroughly ignored him. His calls that came through in the dead of night. I let them ring out in the hopes he'd get the message. Our goodbye was a goodbye. There was nothing more to it. Nothing more to us.

We weren't friends.

We weren't anything.

"Si-Storm and I just robbed a bank, it was really close there for a second", Tommy smiled back. He wasn't the type to get angry or indignant but he'd kill her with sarcasm. In his words he tucked me under his arm.

"Oh yeah?", She rolled her eyes, "Then where's the money?",

"You have the money right?", I asked in lowered voice, he turned to me with panic in his eyes. "I thought you had the money.",

"YOU had the money",

"No, YOU had the money",

"Are you telling me neither of us has the money?", I continued, turning back to Kelsey, "The money is being kept safe",

"At the bank", Tommy added and I nodded.

"You're both weirdos", She murmured, shooing us with her hands.

"You're both weirdos", We mocked in unison, turning to each other mid sentence with dumb smiles. "Jinx, You owe me a lap dance", Tommy held his finger to his nose.

"Fuck off", I shook my head, smacking his arm.

"Fine. Fine. It doesn't have to be a lap dance. It can be a strip tease", He joked, catching my hand before it hit him again.

"How about I knee you in the scrotum instead?", I offered,

"Hey, don't bring the cat into this, he's good people",

"He's plotting to kill you", I bartered with narrowed eyes. Craning my neck to look up at him.

"No. I think he's plotting to kill me", He corrected, releasing my hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry, my bad",

"Thank you",

"You need a ride home, Tommy Lee? Considering we just robbed a bank together?", I offered, tapping his arm.

"No, I drove today, but thanks Si-Zar salad",

I hesitated before speaking again, "Please never call me that again",

"I regretted it as soon as it came out", He pressed his lips together tightly.

"Later Tommy Lee",

"Catch ya, Elaine",

"I'm your wife now?", I scoffed,

"I don't make the rules", He shrugged with a smile. "Sierra Anderson. Thomas Morningstar I don't care",

"Later Tommy Lee", Kelsey mocked from beside us.

"Bye, Kelsey", He waved with this dumbass grin. I watched her face shrivel. Not getting the reaction she wanted from him. "Where are you going?",

"Away from you, freak", She barked.

"Can I come?", Tommy asked quickly.

"Yeah, in your dreams",

"No, I don't dream about clowns, they scare me", He smiled wider, "So you'd actually be in my nightmares.",

"Can you not talk to me?",

"Okay I'll make like the ends of your hair and split",

I couldn't contain the laugh that rattled through my chest, "Fucking hell, Tommy, you didn't have to incinerate her",

"What are you laughing about, Sierra?", Kelsey arched up all tough and defiant. Her bleached and dead hair motionless even as she snapped her head. "You know you'd be a lot prettier if you wore some clothes actually made for women. Maybe brush that curled mess of hair, used some makeup",

I looked down to my oversized black Led Zepplin tee I'd tied at the waist. Black bell bottoms to match and my boots. "Grow some tits while you're there", She added.

"But you're so close to your one thousandth customer served, I wouldn't take that from you", I smiled in return, taking a page from Tommy's book. I noticed then how far that blonde woman was from Billy. How her back was turned to him.

Trouble in paradise?

Oh no.

"She's hotter than you, Bozo the clown", He bit beside me,

"Yeah right", Kelsey scoffed,

"She is", Billy turned his head to say then snapped it back to Dean who was going on about something.

I didn't expect that from him.

But he was always as blunt as a rock.

Kelsey sucked the air between her teeth. Sam ducked out from the conversation with Billy and Dean, throwing his arm around Kelsey's shoulders. "Yeah, sorry, Kels. The big boobs are great and all. But Sierra could spit on me and I'd thank her",

My face shrivelled at the words. "Some times less is more", Sam added, not really helping. "The Ass and thigh combo trumps boobs. Tattoos and piercings trump everything else. Then there's the car", He explained, shrugging innocently.

"Why don't you all hang around with her then if she's so fucking perfect?!", Kelsey spat, those blue rimmed eyes glared at me before she spoke again, "Since you all love her so much?!", She murmured with tears in her eyes then stomped off in the direction of the girl's toilets.

"Wow, must be on the rags", Sam snickered, making me frown. I watched her walk away. Some part of me aching for her.

"Later Tommy Lee", I spoke softly, throwing my book and bag in the car before I went to the main girl's bathroom that spanned off the side of the building. Each nearing step making my throat constrict. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve me making sure she was okay.

The sound of sobbing led me to the last stall down the end of the bathroom. The floor only recently mopped by the looks. And as I turned the corner I truly absorbed the girl on the ground of the shower stall, hugging the wooden bench against herself. And as much as I wanted to laugh in her face, as much as I wanted to just kick her while she was down...I couldn't.

Instead I sat down next to her with my back against the concrete wall, with my hands draped over my knees.

"Do you love him?", I asked softly, listening to her gentle sobs.

"It doesn't matter to him",

"Why wouldn't it?"

"I'm two months pregnant", She replied back in a whimper. My blood running cold.

"...Is it his?",

She let out this solemn laugh, "Despite what you think of me, Sierra, I didn't fuck him while you were together.",

"...Does the father know?",

"The father is dead", She cried harder.

"What—", My words were taken from my mouth. "Are you saying...", I couldn't even get out the thought.

"You really thought I just liked detention?", She bit, raising her head from her arms.

"Harrelson hated you", I thought out loud. The idea making my skin crawl. It was disgusting. He was married. And old enough to be her Dad.

"No. We just didn't want anyone to find out.", Kelsey whimpered, "So, you won Sierra.",

"How is any of this me winning?",

"Billy wants nothing to do with me. He wants nothing to do with my child.",

"Have you taken a test? Do you know for certain?",

"You mean aside from the nausea and headaches and narcolepsy? Yeah, it's kinda why I'm on the floor",

I watched her brandish a white stick from behind her back. Two red lines staring back at me. "Fuck", Was all I could say for a while, "Are you sure it's Harrelson's?",

"Yeah because slutty Kelsey must've ridden so much dick that she doesn't know who the father is, is that what you're thinking Sierra?",

"Because if you're wrong then you've destroyed his family for nothing", I held up my hand to calm her.

"It's his", She nodded, "It can only be his",

"What are you going to do?", I murmured, drifting my sight to her.

"You know, Paul and I loved each other and after graduation we were going to get married. I'm keeping our baby",

"How are you going to do that on your own?", I didn't even think as the words rolled off my tongue.

"...I don't know.",

"I hope it works out for you, I really do", I exhaled as I stood.

I'd watched Harrelson die. In some sense of the word. Not his body but his mind. He'd sacrificed that for me. To save me. And now his unborn child didn't have a father. His mistress didn't have a baby daddy.

Lead weighed in my chest. I had to get out there.

"Billy doesn't know about the baby, okay?", She admitted, wiping underneath her eyes.

I barely heard her, "What?"

"He's in love with you. He's always going to be in love with you, Sierra",

"Did he tell you that?",

"Yeah", She nodded quickly, that pregnancy test still clasped in her hand. A reminder of Agent Paul Harrelson.

"I'm sorry about Paul", I murmured then quickly got out of there before she could see me shatter.

It hurt to breathe.

To even think of Agent Harrelson because all I saw was that bloodied face. I saw him touching the bullet wound on his neck with terror in his eyes. Like he knew what would come. I thought of that as I wandered out down the corridor. Each step sounding heavily in my ears.

Ringing.

My heart beating a thousand beats a minute. I saw his skin between blinks. I saw it fall from his flesh. And in my mind the words. "Let us live, since we must die." Played over and over. "Grant them no mercy, Agent Morningstar.",

"Sierra", A voice broke through the hallway. Close to me. Maybe four feet away.

Troy Passmore stood as a wall before me. I glanced up as his hands clasped my shoulders, if only to stop me barging through him.

"Come on now, watch where you're going. You almost crinkled my shirt",

It took me a little bit to comprehend what he'd said. That he'd spoken at all. I kind of just stared at him. "Are you okay, kid?", He added with raised eyebrows. I didn't say anything but gestured towards the empty art classroom beside him. He pressed down on the door knob and the door creaked to life. I filed in, walking the length of it then back to him. So many thoughts rattling through my mind.

"She pregnant", I murmured as that door locked behind us.

"What—Who?", Troy pressed, folding his arms at his chest. A crease forming in his painfully well ironed dress shirt.

"Kelsey",

"Fuck", He swore, running his hand through his dark hair, "I—Uh. I'm really sorry kid.",

"It's not Billy's", I spoke on the edge of my voice. My tears betraying the will I had to keep them at bay. Hazel eyes narrowed at me, "It's Harrelson's",

"But he—", Troy's mouth hung open, "She's seventeen",

"Yup. And he was Forty six and now he's going to have another child he'll never get to meet", I shook my head. This whole thing was so fucked. So demented.

"Sierra", Agent Passmore looked at me with softened eyes, his lips pressed together. Speaking in a lower voice, "He was dead before he ever came after you",

"It killed him because it wanted me. Because I pissed it off", I couldn't look at him to admit that. Just saying it made my whole chest convulse in a muted sob. I ran my hand through my hair as I sat on the floor. Guided by the wall behind me. Troy followed me down there, like he didn't really know what to do.

"Kid, If I try to comfort you, will you hiss at me?",

"Probably", I murmured, watching him slump down beside me. His legs brushing mine. Troy dressed the part as an Agent. Even his jeans were starched and free of wrinkles. His boots were pitch black and his silver jewellery sparkled. What had once been locks of flowing black curls now was styled short at the sides and a bit longer on top. It still tried to flick back like a wave in the middle though. He smelled like expensive cologne. Musky old guy cologne. At least it wasn't sweat and body odour.

"Do you remember when you and my sister used to sneak into my room and put women's underwear under my pillows, and in my bed, and my car for some reason. You guys thought it was hilarious.", He smiled gingerly at the memory. I did too, leaning my head against the wall, "I was ten",

"I found women's underwear in my room for years. You guys were good.", He chuckled, holding his chest. Hazel eyes settled onto me there, "Even after you left Tennessee, kid. Even when my new girlfriend found a g string in the crack of the passenger seat. She broke up with me because of you two. Try explaining that. But you know what? Even though I wanted to murder you both. I chose not to", Troy shrugged, watching me wipe under my eyes, "You can't change how something reacts to human behaviour. Sure, you could've not done your Job and Harrelson might still be alive. Or, a lot more of us would be dead. But it's not your fault, Kid. We ain't dealing with something of sound mind",

"Sure feels like it", I sniffled weakly.

"You know", Troy turned to me again, a dumb smile playing on his lips, "I forgave you for the underwear thing when the whole Jack thing happened. Because that night when we found out you were in hospital I found a red bra where my spare tyre was. This was after I hadn't found any for years. And I never got a flat. Ever. It felt like the world was telling me to let it go", He laughed out of his nostrils.

"You know they were all my Mom's underwear, right? I used to steal them out of the bags she gave to charity",

"That's why I kept them",

"Ew", I grimaced,

"No, I didn't. I had a huge crush on your Mom though", He nudged my shoulder.

"Yeah, everyone did",

"I hated my sister, you know. I kinda wanted to trade her for you. You were a cool kid.",

"Ugh, ten year old me just swooned", I smirked, remembering the huge crush I had on him.

"When I look at you all I see is the kid who terrorised me with underwear.",

"Yeah, Buddy, I survived through the no deodorant or washing your clothes phase. Your room smelled like taco seasoning and ball sweat. Assume the crush is gone.",

Troy chuckled at the words, holding his chest.

"If I could turn back time", He wheezed, laughing nice more with those perfectly aligned teeth.

"You'd what? Have a shower?",

"No, I'd make it worse. Then maybe little girls wouldn't come into my room and put undies in my pillowcase.",

"We would've found a way",

"You know I have a niece and a nephew now? That annoying ten year old is someone's mother", Troy shuddered at the thought. His whole expression souring. "Don't get me started on the drop kick fathers",

"More than one kid at eighteen? Classy", I commented lightly. Harrelson still hanging on my mind.

"She didn't have Dean Morningstar to steer her in a better direction.",

Troy respected the hell out of my dad. Even lived with him for a bit at the beginning of my Hawkins assignment. Dean had a bleeding heart for kids like Troy. Bad parents, Bad attitude and No respect for anyone or anything. Let's just say he turned him around.

"Yeah, he always knew what to do with the boys. Me not so much",

"You're kidding right?",

"What?",

"You two are the same person.", He squinted at me,

"Are you calling me annoying?",

"No, I'm saying your Dad is your best friend and you're his. So be nicer to poor old Dean. The man is going to go bald and grey before you stop diving into danger".

"Geez I knew Prue wanted to be my Step-Mom, I didn't think you did too", I snickered, nudging his shoulder with mine.

"Kid, I will still hold you down and spit on you",

"No you won't", I corrected, scooting away from his side in warning.

"You baby",

"Rat",

"Goblin",

"Asshole",

"Hey. I'm still an Agent",

"Please. I outrank you", I shook my head, wondering where he was going with this.

"Actually you're a school student", He corrected me with a smarmy grin.

"You better watch out for panties in your car",

"Yeah, that'll go down great, your underwear in the work car I share with your Dad.",

"How would he know it was mine?",

"You'd probably write your name on it just to see him murder me", Troy sucked the air between his teeth. His buttons constricting on his tight shirt.

"Yeah", I breathed out, leaning my head into the wall. The ceiling was an odd greyish green colour with pencil holes in the panelling. I think I put a few of those there.

"So, how are things?", He asked in a lighter tone, twisting the signet ring on his finger.

"Things are pretty fucked up, Passmore", I laughed if only not to cry. "What about you, how's being Dad's partner?",

"Dean's a really good Agent. He's a great partner. But it doesn't help that this town is just—", He fought for the words, hazel eyes flicking back in his eye socket.

"Fucked?",

"Yeah...",

"How is Dad handling the divorce situation? I've tried asking myself but he has a habit of lying to me",

"Not great.", Troy murmured, rubbing his lower lip with his hand. "Sara is fighting for full custody of the girls because of his line of work. She wants the Boston house, his truck, half the Hawkins place, half his money and his Mom's Opal ring",

"Did I ever tell you I'm a genius?", I interjected his thought.

"Why?",

"Because I knew three years ago if they ever got divorced she'd take him for all he's worth",

"Okay?",

"I've put the girls trust funds in my name. We put a bulk amount of his money in my name too and that ring, in my safe,",

"So why—",

"Dean likes to pretend everything is hunky dory but I know he doesn't remember a lot before the Demogorgon attack in Hawkins. Really anything before three years ago comes back in patches.",

"What about the custody?",

"Once I take the stand she'd be lucky to see them one day a year", I scoffed, the thought of her trying to take Delta and Echo just boiling the blood in my veins. She was a terrible mother. Between the constant neglect and overall narcissistic abuse there really wasn't much more to say about Sara Mitchels. She was a thirty year old woman who married a nineteen year old Naval officer.

"You ever thought about becoming an attorney?",

I smiled sadly at the question.

"What's on your mind?", He asked with a quizzical expression.

My sight met the ceiling in response, "We're pretty desperate for answers right? About The Demon?",

"I'd say so",

"Thought so"

"What's going on?",

I laughed before speaking, "I found a demonology professor in Salem, he used to teach at the college. You know someone who deals with exorcisms, ghosts, demonic possession and things? I'm ditching the beach bonfire to go see him",

"...Why?",

My shoulders shrugged, "Demons, Latin, Possession. Anything will help right? It might not be our kind of demons but how different can they be?",

Troy's brows furrowed together then slowly lowered, "I think it's a good idea, Kid. But you're not going alone",

"Really?", I laughed through my nostrils, "What is with you and ghosts?",

He smiled a soft grin, "Come on now, It's 90% concern that this guy is a psychopath luring a young girl to his house, 10% the chance I get to shoot a ghost in the face",

——————————

I was desperate.

Goddamn was I desperate.

I thought of that as Troy's SUV rolled up to the most murdery house on the street. It was old, nearing ancient. The outside of the two storey building was a lavender purple with maroon trim. It looked like the house from 'Psycho' down to the circular attic window and subsequent arched windows.

"Number 66", Troy exhaled, parking on the road.

"I bet you 40 this guy has something demented mounted on the wall", I thought aloud, staring up at that huge house.

"I believe you, but I'm not betting money",

"Aww, Why not?",

"Come on now, that's how I lost 150 the last time I saw you in Nashville",

I smiled at the memory, "Yeah, thanks for the leather jacket, I love it",

"You spent 150 on a jacket?",

"It's purple", I smiled a wide taunting grin, watching his head shake.

"150?",

"Get over it Passmore, I've spent more on boots", My hand pulled the door handle, opening it onto the road.

Salem, Massachusetts was a town rich in witch lore. Witch trials, you name it.

Which in turn brought in some questionable people. And this Guy, This Demonologist...I didn't expect him to be any different.

As Troy knocked on the black door to the Murder house I waited for this unhinged, long bearded, grey-haired man to answer. But the door swung open and...He looked normal. Dark hair peppered in grey, glasses, clean shaven, well dressed.

"Agent Morningstar", He greeted me with a small smile,

"Professor Alistair, This is my partner, Agent Passmore", I informed, gesturing to Troy.

"Are you Not on a first name basis?", He joked nervously to break the ice.

My lips curled, "We're investigating a case close to here, I was told you're the man to talk to about—",

"Demons?", Alistair finished the thought, ushering us into the foyer and to a library lined in dark shelving.

I stepped in before Troy, "That's the one",

"Well, what are you dealing with?", Alistair asked, taking a seat in a brown armchair. I mirrored his action in the chair across from him. But Troy stayed standing. Surveilling the dark den.

"Bathroom?", Troy asked Alistair.

"Upstairs, first door on the right",

And off Agent Passmore went to snoop around.

"So...What are you dealing with?", Alistair asked again, somewhat nervously. He seemed like he was an awkward fella. Most people didn't like cops in their house.

"Demonic possession, Telekinesis, Black blood pouring from the eyes and mouth, stark white skin, you name it we've probably got it", I replied. His neck cocked at the words. I'd struck a chord somewhere in my explanation. Like something clicked in his mind.

"Black blood?", He asked, blinking slowly as he did. Something told me that reaction wasn't good news for us.

"Uh huh",

"Hmm", He sat deeper into his chair, "Then it's a demon, alright...But only the most foul demons can bleed black through a vessel which means you're dealing with something unfathomable to humans, probably a few hundred years old and sinister beyond your comprehension",

"What would a thing like that want?", I replied, hoping to find some answers.

"Want?", He smiled gently through crooked teeth, "Agent Morningstar, Demons only have one aspiration and that is to cause as much destruction and death as they can. Evil doesn't have an agenda.",

"Then How do I kill it?", I asked simply.

"How do you kill it?", He laughed again like I were a fool, "You don't. You run in the opposite direction",

It wasn't the answer I wanted.

My hands clasped together for comfort, "Okay, how do I wound it?",

Alistair shook his head, "You can only send it back to its dimension",

I probably sounded like a dumbass to him.

"By?",

"Uh—Sometimes knowing the name is enough. But learning the demonic sigil for the name is the most powerful weapon against it. It's...shocking almost to the Demon. Like being hit with a thousand volts of lightning. But you have to hit the Demon not the vessel. That black blood. And it should be enough to rid it from our world",

"How do we get that?", Troy intervened from the doorway.

"From its world. Other demons may know but if this one is as powerful as you say I doubt you'll get it",

"Sunlight hurts it", I added.

"It won't kill A Demon once it adapts. It might stun it for a bit but my advice would be to run before it comes after you",

"It's already after me"

Alistair shifted in his seat, speaking lightly, "Then I'm sorry. But the demon you're dealing with goes past normal possession. It cannot be exorcised or dispelled. There is something binding it to our world. Find it and kill it...until then UV torches might work for nights.",

"Something like what?", Troy asked.

"It's staying alive...in a host I'd say. They may not even know it but someone in Hawkins is infected and giving the Demon a foothold on this world",

"What signs should we look for?", I replied,

"Newfound Telekinetic ability...But the demon is like a Parasite. It will drain everything from its host. Lookout for healthy Agents suddenly declining. Usually respiratory infections. Uh—Narcolepsy, Headaches, Nightmares, Anxiety, rapid weight loss and pale skin.",

"Can we save the host?",

"You might be able to but there is no way to say you'd dispel the entire demon. Kill the host. Kill the demon",

"Thank you, Alistair", I murmured before Troy and I made for the door.

When it was closed I turned to him on the porch while leaves fluttered by, but he spoke, "I know what you're thinking. You think you're the host",

"Come on, it makes sense", I huffed, taking a step down the stairs.

"No, it doesn't, Sierra, It's a bunch of nonsense from a guy who has recent release forms from the psychiatric ward on his kitchen counter.",

"Were you snooping?", I asked, stepping onto the concreted path.

"I knew he was cracked and I was right",

"Is he cracked or are we?", My lips quirked while he opened the gate for me.

"I'm not playing, Kid. He's a psycho", Troy spoke lightly, "I wouldn't trust a word he said",

"I'll watch out for him with a knife while I'm showering then",

"What?",

"Come on, Passmore, Norman Bates with a knife...Psycho", My brows raised, watching a grimace meet his face.

"Never saw it",

"Ugh you're boring", I commented while sliding into the passenger seat.

"What's wrong with comedies?",

"Everything you just said",

"Satanist", He shot back while starting the car.

"Window licking lizard"

"Boneless chicken",

"Crusty rag",

"Used Q-Tip",

"Skid mark",

"Duck turd",

I laughed out of my nostrils in response. His southern accent always made things 100% funnier. Troy spoke again as we turned out of the street,

"How was your fun conversation with Billy the other day?"

My cheeks flushed at the memory.

Filled with sex, Troy.

"Yeah—It was...something",

"Dean said he's been calling",

"That's what leaving the phone off the hook is for", I sighed, perching my elbow on the doorframe with my hand on the side of my head, "It's too late for him to realise he fucked up",

"What actually happened? I know you guys had been fighting for a while before the breakup but it seems like there's more too it",

I laughed through my nostrils, it was so fucked up, "He got drunk and high and shoved me into the side of the house when we were fighting but I know he wanted to do worse. He wanted to hurt me for getting him involved in this Demon fuckery...And I can't blame him",

"Fuck that", He scoffed quickly, "Blame him, Morningstar. He deserves to be held responsible for his own mistakes.",

"I think it's time we all agree I'm not the girl that ends up with Prince Charming. I'm considering a life of celibacy in my witch's house in the woods where my 14 cats will eat me when I die.",

"I'm glad you're not wallowing in self pity",

"Bite me, Passmore. Get fucked around by every guy you've ever been with then come back to me",

His jaw muscle feathered in a tightly clamped manner and I knew exactly what he was thinking of.

"Are we just going to ignore what happened at your 17th p—",

"Shhh", I begged, "Don't piss me off more than I already am",

"You can't just hate me forever",

"Wrong Again", I snarled.

————

Prudence Hallows and I responded to a disturbance on Cider court on Friday the Thirteenth. It was around this time I was cleared to go back on jobs. Because they were desperate. And the CIA had spent a lot of money training me. Too much to be left on the sidelines. And while my health hadn't quite swung back yet to what it was before the pneumonia scare I was feeling better than I had been.

It's was a rainy night as we drove up to the remains of Hawkin's old aquatic centre. Fog rolled out around the faded white building in thick bouts from the humidity in the air.

Prue parked my car, both of us just looking at the tendrils of green that sprouted through glassless windows. The whole thing looked like it was going to fall apart.

"I say we lie, pretend we went in, say we didn't find anything and go on about our day", She murmured, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel.

"Don't be a baby", I smirked, getting out of her car. That hot air washing over me instantly. Making me sweat in the tactical gear.

"It's hot tonight", Prue spoke as she got out too, "How can it be raining and muggy at the same time? This place is like the devil's armpit", She shook her head, zipping the front of her Kevlar vest up.

"Don't say that on Friday the thirteenth", I taunted her and stepped closer to that aged building. The whole thing was spooky.

"What did Jameson say?", She asked from behind me, rocks crunching under my boots.

"Some sort of energy disturbance is coming from this location. Could be a portal. Could be something drawing a lot of power. I hope its option B",

"Why can't we come back in the day? Night time is dangerous enough for us as it is", She whined,

"Because it might not be here tomorrow, besides we've got UV flashlights now thanks to yours truly. That shit will burn any Demogorgon in our path", I tried to reassure her but even I felt myself swallow as I stared back at the creepy building.

"You shouldn't even be on jobs anymore—",

"Prue, we're going in", I spoke above her rant, testing the push doors. They were firmly locked. "Might have to go around the back",

"Wait",

"What?", I thought she might've heard something.

"I need to tell you something before we go in.",

"Can it wait?",

"No. If I don't tell you now I'll bitch out again",

"Okay", I waited for what she had to say, watching her lips part but nothing came. Not for a few seconds.

"I'm the reason Billy broke up with you",

"What?",

"He was hurting you, Si and you were letting him.", She explained softly, grasping my forearm, "Your Dad was ready to kill him every night Billy came home drunk. He didn't know what to do. He asked me to check on him one morning. But when I got to Billy's house I wanted to hurt him too. We had words...I don't really remember what I said but I know I told him to grow up or leave. And he did",

"He did that himself, Prue", I spoke, "He chose alcohol and partying over us",

"A terrible choice really",

"Just the worst", I laughed out of my nostrils. "Can you believe I ever fell in love with a guy who doesn't like Iron Maiden?",

"Ugh, what dumpster did you find him in?",

"Exactly",

"Next time I choose the guy",

"Like I'd listen",

"True",

"Can we get going now?", I asked

"Yeah",

She didn't like the thought of trampling through the darkness but I led her around the rear of the pool. Through overgrown sticks and thorns. And things that stuck to my pant leg. All the while she clung to my flank, her glock safely in her hands. We came to a patio area that had once been undercover but the roof had since collapsed on itself into a pile of debris. Probably a few decades ago.

"I heard this place is like fifty years old", Prue spoke, "It got shut down in '61' when the water levels rose and flooded the whole thing every spring. It's completely underwater for two months of the year.",

"That explains the damp smell", I shrivelled my nose at the stench of mould and mildew. "Masks on for this one, Prue",

I reached into my Kevlar and pulled up the black fabric mask lulling around my chest. It attached to the thermal long sleeved shirt by a zip around the neckline. They covered nose and mouth. I added mine to the uniform again after the whole pneumonia thing.

"Yes Ma'am", She murmured, pulling up hers too.

We walked over shattered concrete roof tiles, dancing through the debris field until we could reach that back door. I pushed and pulled on its handle. "Locked", I groaned, looking around for another entry.

"We're pretty isolated here right?", Prue asked from behind me.

"In the flood zone? Yeah. Nearest house is about a kilometre away",

"Kilometre? Some of us don't speak Canadian",

"1.6 miles", I rolled my eyes.

"Show me the door for a second", She murmured, nudging me out of the way.

"What are you going to do? Lift from the bottom?", I held my hands in surrender, watching with wide eyes as she pulled her trigger and shot through the door. The bang startling me more than anything.

"Fuck, warn me next time", I smacked her arm as she kicked down the wooden door. And we stepped over it's carcass into the world beyond.

The floor, that had been linoleum once, squished beneath our feet. An inch of water coating the ground in an iridescent sheen. Kinda like being on a boat made of concrete.

As we moved it cast shadows onto the walls. It sloshed. "Whatever's here is going to hear us coming from a mile away", Prue whispered, peering over the reception desk that was behind a pane of glass.

"Or it's going to electrocute us while we're wading through water", I replied, keeping my eyes peeled.

"Ugh, I didn't even think of that",

"You're welcome", I smirked, veering towards two swinging doors with my gun and flashlight raised. My boots by then were just soaked through.

"Thanks",

I pushed through the doors slowly, looking left and right before I swept into the space. Water touched everything here. The whole ground was a grey abyss.

"Watch your step, I think this is the pool", I called back to Prue as I mounted the metal seats that lined the walls, each step making them shake. It was a little creepy with everything flooded and tendrils of vine coming in through the windows, clinging to the ceiling. Things made noises in here. Bugs and whatever else dwelled in this swampland. Probably bats and snakes too.

With our lights bouncing off the water's surface we couldn't really tell what was floor or swimming pool. The fog in here was thick too, rolling in through the shattered windows. I wasn't willing to go swimming in a cesspit of mosquito larvae, probably toads and whatever other grime existed in this place.

"We'll go around", I suggested, "I'm not going to risk falling in. I think there's alligators in the lake that runs into here",

"Good choice", She nodded, pushing back through those swinging doors. I think she just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. I did too.

I followed after her sloshing footfalls, watching her disappear behind a corridor wall to our left. That mouldy stench all I could smell radiating from the walls. I shook my head against it, my stomach pleading to purge itself. Nope. Nope. Nope. I wasn't taking this mask off.

She was freaking out. I knew she was.

"Prue", I spoke lightly, watching my step.

"Yeah",

"What's going on with Troy?",

I hadn't seen him in weeks and when I fleetingly did he looked like he wanted to punch a wall which was so out of character for him.

She breathed out a deep sigh, "I was hoping you knew. It's hard to tell when he's distant because he hasn't got a soul, but that boy has been diiiistant the last two weeks.",

"Hasn't got a soul?", I scoffed, that was hardly apt.

"I don't know him like you do but the man has a stick jammed in all the wrong places",

"He's a good Agent", I sighed in response.

"He's a hard ass",

"...Troy had a rough upbringing. His Dad was as warm as concrete and his Mom didn't see past his Sister. He's been alone his whole life.",

"We've all had it rough, not all of us stay in Agent disguise 24/7",

"It's all he has", I swallowed, "Without Agent in front of his name he's just the Highschool heartthrob and golden boy who fell off his pedestal",

"Ooh, I'm interested",

"I don't know the full story...All I know is that Dad picked him up from a dark place in his life three...Maybe four years ago. And it was nearly impossible for him to become an Agent, but he fought hard, did the three years at the Academy and took whatever shit was thrown at him from his criminal charges...I assumed alcohol or even drugs but Troy doesn't talk about it...He's different now than what he used to be",

"When you were in love with him?",

My eyes rolled, "Yeah, then...",

"What happened? I mean you are COLD towards him. Dare I say you hate him?",

"He got drunk at my 17th and did something unforgivable",

"Banged your mom?",

"No", I swallowed,

"Banged your Dad?",

"My parents weren't involved...He just...really hurt me",

"Physically?",

"No, he's not violent", I scoffed, this wasn't something I wanted to talk about.

"Well, I mean, should I be cold towards him too, how bad was it?",

"Between William shoving me and Jack stabbing me.",

"Damnnnnn, I should snub his ass",

"You leave that to me",

I rounded the corridor that was narrow and painted with black mould on all surfaces. The air almost unbreathable here. And even though it fucking reeked Prue stormed onwards ahead of me, her light steadily, aimed at the gate at the end of the hall. "Prue", I spoke quickly, feeling something underfoot.

"I know it stinks", She murmured, "Breathe through your mouth",

"No, the floor is moving underneath us", I swallowed, stilling my approach.

"I know, I think it's water trapped under the linoleum", She replied.

"Or",

"Or?",

"There's a basement", I shuddered, holstering my glock.

"Or its water trapped under old ass Lino", She bit, taking another step forwards. Then another. The building gave a soft groan like metal twisting. And I heard her scream. Then beneath both of us the floor got sucked into the earth. Rotten wood coming down with us.

"Prue!", I screamed when the solidness disappeared under me, trying to hold onto anything. Something. But it all came down with us. My flashlight freeing itself from my grip.

Two metres down I hit water, sinking beneath its thick, clumpy depths. Bits of the building fell in with me. Debris colliding with me there and I kicked for the surface. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I panicked, gasping for breath when I breached.

"Prue!", I screamed because I was unable to see In the blackness. But I could smell the raciness of the water. Could taste the toxicity in the air.

My sight drifted toward the hole in the ceiling where we'd fallen through. Gouging a two metre gash. Water trickled down from its edges.

"Prue", I called again as something swept by my leg. I froze against it, praying it was just debris. Fuck. I couldn't see her. I couldn't see anything.

Where was she?

My eyes started to well up and then I heard a loud gasp followed by frantic splashing. A beam of light casting through the darkness.

"Sierra!", She called,

"I'm here", I replied, swimming towards that light about five metres away where Prue clung to a metal set of stairs, hauling herself out of the water.

She outstretched her hand to me and I pulled myself from the swamp. Climbing three steps before I turned to see what I'd come from. What water sluiced of me.

"See? Basement", I murmured, absorbing the room that was occupied with about two metres deep worth of green water. There were things floating on its surface. Bits of leaves and wood and sludge. It made me vomit in my mouth a little.

"Are you hurt?", She asked me in a weak voice. Like she was crying.

"I—I don't think so", I replied, "Are you?",

"Right thigh", She exhaled.

I took the flashlight from her hand, biting hard on my gum at the sight of her leg.

"Fuck", I swore. An iron rod had run her through. Like a splinter hanging out of her leg. "Okay, it's okay.",

"No, it's not", Prue groaned, glancing up to the ceiling. It was hard to tell if she was really hurt or just being dramatic. She didn't handle pain well. I knew that."I tried to be the tough one and I nearly got us killed",

"You don't have to be the tough one, Prue", I consoled her as her tears started to fall. Those glittering green eyes glancing up to me. She was shivering and soaked through to her core. Black Gunk clung to her cheek in splotches. I didn't have the heart to tell her.

"Yes I do. Because you won't be here anymore.", She clenched her teeth together, breathing through the pain. Her skin was just white.

I swallowed at the words, my throat going dry. "You're a good agent without me, Prue.",

"No I'm not. You're the tough one. You get the answers and I get us out of the trouble", She murmured, each word making her hand grip the metal railing that bit tighter.

"Did you ever think maybe I need you to keep me out of trouble? I need you to be the reasonable one.", I spoke, a tear falling with the words, "I need you, Prue. But you've never needed me and you're going to be fine when I'm gone",

"No. I'm not", She whispered, "I can't do this demon stuff alone, Sierra. I'm terrified. And as selfish as this sounds I don't want that Demon to come for me. I don't want to be found buried in a shallow grave underneath the fucking school utility shed", She wept,

"Then come with me", I held her chin in my hands, trying to meet those disassociated eyes, "Come to Cali and leave this hole behind",

"I can't do that", She groaned, nodding lightly, "I'm going to ride this out till the end and buy a gothic mansion in Arkansas from the pay check I get from this job. I'm going to get a dog and a husband and three kids. And we're never coming back to this town. Ever",

"That sounds good", I nodded, glancing towards the closed door next to us. "But first we've gotta escape",

"You...You and William should buy the place next to me.", She exhaled unsteadily, each breath making her shudder, "Raise the kids together like we promised",

I didn't know what to say. So I tested the door knob that refused to twist under my grasp. Fuck. It was locked.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

How was I suppose to get us out of here?

We couldn't swim back through that crap. Her fucking leg would get infected and fall off. Or she'd pass out and drown us both.

"He's still so in love with you", Prue continued, the nonsensical words making my chest ache. "He still stares from across the hall when you're not looking. You hold on to that when you come back. You Take him outta Hawkins. Get married. You buy a manor together. Nothing too big but large enough for all the kids.",

"We're not dying down here", I warned her. Before she continued to talk like that. Like she wasn't going to make it.

"I know. You're going to get us out", She slurred, "You always get us out",

I tried kicking the metal door. Once then twice. The metal groaning but not releasing its hold. By then my leg muscles were on fire.

"Fuck!", I screamed my frustrations at the door that refused to open. Throwing an elbow for good measure. Then the handle squeaked and I almost fell down the steps. Someone opened it from the other side. I retreated back to Prue as a flashlight bounced over us.

"Water surprise", A voice boomed down at us.

"Steve?", I squinted at the blinding light.

"Get it? Water", He continued and could've fucking kissed him.

"Prue's wounded", I spoke before my mind had even settled, hauling her onto my shoulder up those steps. "I need you to take her to the hospital and call my Dad when you get there",

"O—Okay", He stammered, his face the same shade as Prue's as I reached the landing. He took her from my arms as gently as he could, picking her up like a bride. His throat bobbed when he saw the spike sticking out of her leg. Saw the blood that dribbled onto his hands.

"Now, Steve", I ordered,

"What are you going to do?",

"I've gotta finish the job", I nodded, exhaling deeply.

"Be careful, okay?",

"Always am", I nodded, watching him disappear with Prue in his grasp. When they were gone I realised the whimper I'd held the whole time down there. Something caught my hip below my Kevlar on the fall down. Maybe a nail or a rusted hook. All I knew was that it was bleeding something awful. That it was very close to the artery. But I think I'd know if it'd stabbed me that deeply. Because of the lack of heartbeat and all.

"Fuck", I swore, holding pressure against my hip. Swearing it was just a scratch. Just a scratch.

I limped down the corridor with Prue's water logged torch guiding the way, veering towards the only other room in the building. That one attached to the other side of the pool. The door swung open with little more than a shove. Water sloshing under my feet.

"What the fuck?", I looked twice at what laid beyond the hall.

Desks lined the room, wall to wall. Occupied with some sort of radio equipment.

Listening devices. A computer. All flashing at me like a fucking circus.

Where the hell were they plugged in to? I answered my own question as my light followed the white cables running up the walls. I assume this is where the power surge came from.

My brows knitted together, sweeping the equipment with my gloved fingers. It was old. But expensive gear. Maybe military. Beyond my pay check to understand.

And the smell in here was just rancid. Between mould and the heat from all the computers I was surprised anyone could sit in this space. Without dry heaving that is.

"Shit", I swore as a bout of lightheadedness brushed over me. I needed to sit down for a bit. Get out of the water. So I nudged some of that equipment out of the way and hauled myself up onto one of the emptier desks, groaning the whole way. When the concrete was against my spine I let out a long whine. My fingers clamping the source of my agony.

I guess I had to look...

Yellow light flicked down to my side as I held that torch between my teeth. Reefing up the hem of my shirt.

"Fuck", The whimper escaped me at the sight of the three inch long gash up my waist. Parts of it were deep, enough to dribble a slurry of water and blood onto the white desk. It might've needed stitches in those bits. But I wouldn't bleed out from it. It might get infected from that disgust swamp water, but that was a tomorrow issue. I took the torch from my teeth and laid it by my thigh.

While I was here I just breathed. As best as I could. My lungs had been on fire since I fell through the floor, struggling to keep up with my demand for air. Even if this oxygen felt like breathing in vinegar. I coughed against it, tasting the copper in my mouth before liquid escaped the crease of my lips. Each rattling cough making me that much more light headed. I knew I was going to pass out.

Either From the stench of mould, mud and whatever else clung to my wet uniform or the lack of oxygen getting to my brain.

I laid my head back for a moment to rest. To catch my breath. Maybe slow my heart rate a bit. I didn't intend to faint there.

I remember bright purple light casting over me. The luminosity searing through my closed eyes. I opened them only to be blinded. Seeing but not really hearing anything. Until the owner of that torch lowered its beam.

"Sierra",

"Dad", I cried weakly against the dryness of my throat. "I don't want to do this anymore. I don't—", My tears overcame any words I had. My hand clasping tighter to my wound.

"What's going on, Babygirl, Are you hurt?", He asked frantically , framing my face with his hand. He looked at both sides before the purple light drifted to the pool of watery blood beside me.

"Prue and I fell through the—The floor. I got hit with some piece of crap metal on the fall", I murmured weakly as he moved my hand away from my side. "It's not that bad. The air in here is just—Thick",

"Baby, there's air blowing through the window.", Dad spoke in that voice, that harrowing tone of worry. "I'm breathing fine",

"Fall through the floor and come back to me", I snickered, closing my wet eyes to speak. He was dressed head to toe in tact gear matching mine. The rank on his badge was a fair bit higher though. I touched that bumping white stitching against his chest in my breathlessness. A sob stuck in my throat that came out as a whimper, "I quit, Special Agent. I don't want to do this anymore. I can't do this anymore",

His lips pressed together tightly. "I know baby. I'm getting us out of this town as soon as I can",

"Am I going to die, Daddy?",

"No.",

"Tell me you found her, Dean", Troy's voice bounced off the corridor walls. "Or else we've got problems. The Demon is here somewhere, I've got static all across the board.",

"We need a Med Evac, Agent Passmore. The Demon can wait ", Dad ordered as Troy's figure entered the room. Eyes widening,

"There's black blood across the ground, it's bleeding out somewhere—Full lights and sirens?", He asked, almost as if he didn't believe it. Dad looked at me for a minute, the pure terror in his eyes just something I never wanted to see, it followed the words, "She can't breathe",

"Full lights and sirens. Find her a jacket or something too", He murmured, queuing Troy's departing steps.

"You want this on the news?", I ground out, holding my side to speak. "An ambulance is g—"

"I know.", Dad silenced me with his solemn stare, running his hand down his face. "That's why Troy is going to take your gun and your vest off you . You're going to leave them here, okay baby?", He asked, unzipping my Kevlar on his own accord.

I slipped it off my shoulders, hearing a solid thud on the desk. Dad tore off the Velcro name badge and shoved it into his pocket. I took my belt off entirely, unclipping the two bands around my leg that housed my gun and holster. And Dad swiped my glock, tucking it into his waistband afterwards. "You have a singlet on under that?", He asked, motioning to my black thermal shirt. I nodded weakly, understanding why he asked. If we got photographed coming out of the ambulance I couldn't look like an Agent. I was Sierra the school girl. The Satanist.

"Arms up", He spoke, lifting the hem of my black shirt. I did what he asked as best as I could and he reefed the sopping wet clothing over the top of my head. The shock on his face when he saw my collarbone tattoo was pure comedy. Even in my dizziness. I'm sure I'd hear all about it when I broke free from Hawkins hospital. But right now his jaw muscle feathered, taking on one problem at a time.

Footsteps approached us again. Sloshing through the hall. The light from a torch bouncing off the water's surface.

"This was all she had in her car", Troy spoke as he rounded the corner, holding a jacket in his hands. I watched his torchlight illuminate the image of a lady straddling a panther on the back of Billy's denim jacket. Feeling my throat bob. I'd stashed the ugly fucking thing behind my back seats months ago. "Ambulance is a minute out", Troy added as he tossed Dad the jacket and began quickly sweeping my vest, shirt and holsters into my black duffel bag.

"Arms in", Dad ordered as he lined up the sleeves with my hands. Not really giving me a choice. He leaned me forward like I was a toddler and put in the other arm as well. Pulling it together at the front before he did up the buttons.

"Get ready for the paparazzi", He warned me, tapping my chin. I nodded weakly, blinking a few times before he swept me into his arms. Then we were walking. I held on to his shoulder there against his chest. The world then fading into blurs of blue and red. Voices shouted around us. Flashes bursting into vibrant light.

The headline reading 'Friday the Thirteenth ends in horror for two Hawkins Teens' with an epic shot of Dad walking out of the building with me in his arms. And the back of Billy's hideous jacket in partial view. The colours showed up vibrantly despite it being dead night.

———————-

I'll say it once and I'll say it again, Hospitals suck. Especially when I had to be showered thoroughly before I could even be seen to. I don't know what happened to my clothes but they dressed me in a beautiful blue hospital gown until Dad could get me clothes from home. Redfield glued the skin on my hip back together in the deeper parts while I was attached to an oxygen mask. Wasting no time once I was freed from the shower. They were very concerned about the shallowness of my breath. And suggested I stay the night. Despite my defiant responses. And colourful words. It's not like I was in bad company. Turned out I'd be sharing a semi-private room with another Agent for the night.

When I was wheeled in through the curtain doors Steve was still there with Prue. Sitting on the edge of her bed. The look I got from them could've melted stone. And then my Dad got to explain to them my diagnosis. And the both of them could've caught flies in their gaping mouths. I was still a little to drugged to respond myself. But I still knew what was happening. I could hear them. Could hear Prue crying and profusely apologising to my Dad who just gave some bullshit, "At least you're both alive", sort of answer.

I woke up properly at about 3AM. During the Nurse's shift change. Nearly startling at the shadow that tapped on the screen next to me.

"How are we feeling, Sierra?", Susan's calming voice echoed through the room. The back of her hand sliding over my forehead.

"Like I fell through some floorboards", I murmured against that oxygen mask. She smiled in response, flicking on that brighter light above my bed now that I was awake.

"Dean dropped you off some clothing so you can get out of the hospital gown",

"What? I love the hospital gown", I smirked, watching wrinkles form around her blue eyes.

"He also got one of my colleagues to drop this back to me. I—Uh took the liberty of washing it", Susan reached toward the foot of the bed, holding up Billy's panther denim jacket. "There was some blood on the front",

"It's Billy's", I responded,

"He said you could keep it", She smiled weakly while folding it against her blue uniform. "You might need it, it gets cold in this ward.",

"Nice of him to gift me with the ugliest jacket in the world",

Susan laughed out of her nostrils, "It's a terrible thing isn't it?",

"It's a crime", I breathed out, glancing over to the empty seat next to me, "What time did the old man leave?",

"About half an hour ago. I passed him by on the way in",

"Good, he doesn't sleep lately as it is...", I trailed off, watching Susan's lips press together. Her expression falling into pity. She spoke after a few seconds.

"I wouldn't either",

"I'm guessing my file has been updated?", I asked, watching her head shake. Not a red hair coming loose from her coronet braid.

"No, Max let it slip. She assumed I already knew.", She sighed, taking that seat beside me. "But I'm guessing my step son doesn't",

"No", I answered simply.

"You mightn't be together but you're still family, Sierra, especially to my daughter. Who just hasn't stopped bragging about her driving lesson with you. Or asking for a red Toyota the same as yours. Red or Black, it doesn't bother her",

I laughed lightly, "She's a cool kid.",

"Well She thinks you're just the best", Susan flattened her skirt as she leaned forward. "So does my Step-Son. I tell you what he didn't stop smiling for days after you...Gave Neil what he deserved",

"Is this your way of telling me you think I should tell him?",

"Despite how it ended, I know he still cares about you. It might be nicer to hear it from you than someone else...But I also understand that he was the one to ruin it. And you probably don't have anything to say to him.",

"It wasn't wholly his fault. It was mostly his fault. But my job took a huge toll on our relationship as you can probably guess and he wasn't ready for the type of shit I deal with, that comes with dating me",

"It's a pity. He's such an asshole again.", She groaned, holding her head in her hands. "It's like dealing with a thirteen year old that can drive and punches holes in my walls. He just doesn't want to grow up.",

"Yeah, that was my problem too", I sighed,

"I bet, the boyfriend I had before Max's Dad was exactly like him. Exactly like Neil. I guess they never really grow up, they just get older",

"Yeah" I nodded, picking up the dark singlet Dad had left in a neat pile beside my bed. Underneath was that metallic purple sweater I loved and a pair of stretchy black pants. I smiled at that purple sweater, knowing he absolutely hated the thing. He hated anything that showed my skin. He certainly hated the tattoo on my shoulder. He just hadn't said anything about it yet.

"How are things going for you? I hear the big move is coming up, are you excited?". Susan asked softly.

"That's one word for it.", I swallowed deeply, taking a minute to think. "Most of my stuff is packed. I mean Dad's keeping the house in Hawkins so I have like three bags and the cat",

"Sounds like an adventure",

"Yeah, I'm sure once I've settled in I'll appreciate it more. But you know, new place, new people. It not my idea of a good time", I shrugged.

"How long are you gone for?",

"The assignment is twelve months",

"And will we see you again? Or is the world going to be your oyster?".

"I'll have to come visit Prue, make sure she's not destroying my house. But after that, who knows? I heard Arkansas is nice",

"You know I forgot you're not actually from Hawkins, I just assumed you'd come back here.", Susan chuckled lightly to herself, shaking her head. "You'll have to drop by when you are back in town, I know Max would love to see you again. I would too.",

"I'll find a time when William and Neil aren't home", I suggested, watching her lips curl.

"My, I almost asked who William was. I think you're the only person I've ever heard call him that",

"I think of Billy. I think of goats",

She laughed softly, "I do too."

"But yes, I'll have to drop by and see you guys", I added,

"I'd like that", She squeezed my hand softly before she stood again, "I better continue my rounds and let you get dressed.",

"Okay", I returned her smile, waiting until she was out of the room to pick at the pile of clothes beside me.

"Don't worry, your Dad didn't touch your underwear", Prue's voice pierced through the darkness and I heard her bed whir. The back of it raising.

"How long have you been awake?", I questioned with a sly smirk.

"Long enough to wonder if you should've been dating Mrs Hargrove instead. She's a lovely lady",

"What were you saying about my underwear?", I asked again,

"Dean, my poor, flustered, future husband, dumped your underwear drawer into a duffel bag and bought it in so I could choose it instead. I saved him some severe scarring. The latex lingerie set was nice though. I almost swiped it for myself.".

"Fuck, he didn't see it did he?",

"No, god no. He pretty much hissed when I handed him those sensible black underwear and a grey lacy bra.",

"Sounds about right", I smirked, hooking that bra on from underneath my hospital gown. I ended up just tearing it off my head and covering my nakedness with the thin blankets. But I got dressed in record time. Scared that someone would come through those curtains while I was indecent. I realised then how cold it was in here. Fucking freezing. So I topped my sweater with that denim jacket folded at my feet. And got out of that hospital bed.

Without the oxygen mask.

"How's the leg?", I asked as the cold floor met my feet.

"I'm not going to lie to it, it was looking dim there for a minute.", Prue snickered in response, groaning as I hauled myself into the bed with her. I made sure I got the side her injury wasn't on. Just to be nice.

Collecting her at my chest. "Did they have to amputate?", I asked with awe in my voice and a solemn smirk on my lips. She squirmed beneath me, yanking her arm out from under my side. "No, I got stitches and a sweet amount of morphine though. I'm not gonna need a cane or anything",

"A cane would be wicked", I teased, earning a solid thud in my shoulder.

"Would not. And we're not ignoring the big news you so kindly hid from us, either, you asshole", She huffed, groaning as she turned inwards.

"Prue, you already handle me with the kiddie gloves, Why would I give you more reason?",

"Well I wouldn't have let you go into mould central for one, you asshat",

"I think you got it worse than me", I bartered, motioning to her bandaged thigh.

"I could still breathe", She bit.

"That was my own fault from trying not to breathe in the sewage water we fell in to",

"Oh no, it wasn't sewage was it?",

"No. I don't know actually. I think it was just crusty old lake water that seeped in through somewhere.",

"—With floaties", She grimaced beside me, "Did you find the energy surge?",

"Yep, Radio station and computers set up behind the pool. They were drawing power from somewhere",

"Ew, creepy", Prue commented, shrivelling her face, "Did you feel like you were being watched?"

"Nah, I was humming 'Thriller', the entire time". I snickered. "It matched in with the fog",

She laughed a hearty chuckle, holding her chest. "That's fucked up, Si",

My shoulders shrugged in response, watching her skim over the breast pocket of my jacket. "Or should I say Billy?", She added, touching that embroidered yellow writing.

"My jacket now", I exhaled, moving up higher on her mountain of pillows. "Hey, your bed is bigger than mine",

Prue looked at me like I was insane, "I don't think they did it maliciously",

"This is like a king single and mines barely a single. I'm appalled", I held my chest in my hand, "You could rent the other side out",

"Oh my god will you two shut up?", A voice startled both of us, coming from the bench seat along the opposing wall. I flicked on the light to see Steve squinting at us from under his jacket.

"Did you know he was still here?", I asked Prue in a hushed tone.

"I had no idea", She responded, tapping the empty space next to her. "Come join the party",

He groaned softly, his hair an absolute mess. I watched him shuffle over to the other side of the bed and haul himself up ever so carefully around Prue's leg.

"Lucky you're both skinny", She exhaled as he laid down beside her. Clinging to the railing. To whatever space he could give her. I smiled at it. At their sheer mismatched personalities.

"Can I just say, What the hell, Sierra?", Steve cocked his neck, seemingly annoyed at me.

"I've already been there", Prue held her hand against his chest to slow his roll and his jaw clenched. Brown eyes darting up to hers.

"Well I have a few of my own concerns. Number one, Did the dickhead know before he fucked off?", He asked, tugging the hem of my jacket.

"He still doesn't know. And we're going to keep it that way", I nodded as I spoke.

"You haven't told him?",

"No",

"Why not?"

"I tried to and he broke up with me, I figure he doesn't deserve to know", I exhaled, "And I don't want the only reason he stuck around to be because I'm sick",

"Can you just let me be mad at you?", Steve bartered, "Stop with the logic and well thought out plans",

"Okay, what's number two?", I asked.

"How long have you know ?",

"Three...maybe four weeks", I sighed, his hand running through his hair.

"Fucking hell, Sierra",

"You're mean when you're tired", I observed, patting down his hair that stuck out at all angles.

"Like a toddler", Prue teased, poking his cheek. He lightly smacked away her hand, scolding her with his furrowed brows. "I don't have any fruit juice for him", She murmured towards me.

"Shut up", Steve rolled his eyes, falling asleep on his propped up elbow. "I carried your ass out of a building",

"You smacked my head on the doorway", She replied.

"I said I was sorry",

"Lies", She whispered, her own eyes fluttering.

I, myself felt like I was next to succumb to the heaviness of my eyelids. So I grabbed the duvet from the top of the beside cabinet and draped it over us.

"I was freaking out, okay?", Steve shot back, more upset by the incident than I first thought, "I thought you were dying, sue me",

"Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. I was dramatic", She murmured, squeezing his forearm. His eyes shot to me, "The Doctor said the spike didn't hit anything important. Just Prue",

"I could've bled out",

She smacked his chest with the back of her hand and he caught it at the wrist.

"Yeah, if you were trapped for a week...",

"Do you hear the disrespect?", She turned her head to me. "I say we find that spike and stick it in his thigh",

"Tough talk for someone who can't walk without limping", Steve interjected.

"Bite me, Junior",

"I missed this", I sighed sarcastically, listening to them bicker.

"What do you mean?",

"You two have been so civil lately, I thought maybe you'd crossed a bridge or slept together", I laughed at the last bit, it was ridiculous. Those two couldn't be In the same room without going at each other's throats.

"I think that's actually a crime", Prue commented quickly.

"It's Necrophillia", Steve added, releasing her wrist like it burned his skin.

"But she's not dead", I cocked my head.

"Besides I have my eye on your Dad",

I grimaced at her smile laced words, "No you don't",

"He hugged me and I felt something feral awaken inside of me, Si",

"Yeah, it's you. You're feral", Steve bit, rolling his eyes.

"Let's...Let's not try to seduce my Dad okay?",

"Ugh, but that man", She groaned, "He could kill a deer in the woods with his bare hands. He could provide for me in the wilderness...",

"So could someone your own age", I responded, motioning to Steve, "Steve killed a Demogorgon with a bat, that's the kind of providing you need in Hawkins",

"Ew, pass", His face shrivelled, fiddling with the zipper on his jacket.

"I wasn't offering, Farah",

"Guys", I sighed, just pleading for a moment of peace.

"Sorry", They both spoke in unison.

I rolled onto my back to get comfortable, propping those pillows higher before I added, "Besides, I think Taylor Delaney has his eye on you",

"Oh?", Prue asked with minimal interest which was odd for her. Taylor Delaney was eye candy to her. A footballer. Not exactly tall but muscular. With a golden mop of hair and ocean blue eyes. He wasn't the most attractive male but he had a scar through his cheek that made the women swoon.

"What do you mean, oh? He's like a god to you",

She shifted uncomfortably next to me, thinking before she spoke again, "He's a little daft though. And vain",

"Well You don't exactly talk to them", I commented with a smirk.

"Speaking of that", Steve interjected, tapping my hand. "What's going on with you and Tommy?",

The question stumped me. "What do you mean?",

"All I know is his best friend status with your Ex is on thin ice", He shrugged.

"Why?",

Prue scoffed loudly, "Come on, Si. You two flirt like crazy. And he's always touching you. You hate people touching you. Unless it's payback for the whole Kelsey ordeal I'm going to assume that didn't go down well with your Ex-Fiancé",

"Her ex what?!", Steve snapped his eyes to me, as wide as saucers. Holding Prue's wrist as he shifted up onto a pillow. Shit. Prue tossed him a mutual look.

"Yeah, they kept that a secret",

"Um, how? When?", He pressed me for information. I wasn't sure I ready for share it yet. That wound was still a little too fresh. And raw.

"At the haunted castle, on his birthday",

"Was it like a diamond ring? How many carats?", Prue nudged me.

"Nothing like that,", I felt heat grow in my cheeks, "He stole me an amethyst ring from the first haunted house we went to like six months ago. I was kinda looking at it and he swiped it on the way out.",

"Oh, the witchy, open top latchy one?", She asked nonsensically.

"Yeah",

"That's actually...really cute",

"How'd the ring thief ask?", Steve rolled his eyes, not buying in to Prue's easily swayed opinion.

"He said he didn't like to be called my boyfriend. That It sounded childish. And he kinda just switched the ring between my hands and that was that", I shrugged, swallowing against the ache in my throat.

"You sure he wasn't playing?", He pressed.

"Very...He Uh—Wanted to wait for me while I was in Cali",

"You didn't tell me that", Prue snapped her sight to me, her lips turning upside down. Like she was sad for me.

"That's life right?", I exhaled, "Besides what would I even do with a husband? I don't know how often you're supposed to feed them. Are they toilet trained?",

"You guys were pretty much already living together, it wasn't that much of a step up", She reasoned, "Other than taking his last name I don't think you would've noticed a difference",

"Oh no, he would've taken mine",

"Not much of a difference?", Steve looked at Her like she was mad, "Marriage is huge. That's like a lifelong commitment. I mean one person for the rest of your life? It's just not sane at our age. People are meant to have a million failed relationships, A stable job and you know, money before they even think about the M word",

"What about soulmates?", Prue challenged, turning in to him. I was glad she did because I was falling asleep just then. My eyes closed but I listened to them.

"What about them?",

"You don't think there's someone out there for everyone?",

"Mrs right? No"

"That's so cynical", She scolded, "Okay, what if you found someone you were desperately in love with and She filled all your picky little boxes but, she could only stay with you if you married her?",

"Paint me a word picture",

"She's hot and does dirty things to you", Prue rolled her eyes.

"And?"

"And?",

"Do we like the same things, does she chew with her mouth open?",

"No, actually, statistically in most long lasting relationships the partner chooses someone completely opposite to them.",

"It's suppose to compensate for traits you lack", I piped up, not opening my eyes to speak.

"The more you know", Prue added.

"So this woman would be?",

"Reserved, I'm seeing darker hair, light eyes, a badass in secret, emotional but not in an annoying way and pretty",

"So the opposite of me is badass and pretty?",

"Precisely",

"You're evil",

"You love me",

"No, I don't.", Steve quickly said.

"So what? You think marriage should come when you've just completely given up on love?",

"Not the marriage, but the person you marry. Yes",

"That's dumb",

"You're dumb",

"Sweet comeback, dickhead",

——————

I got In trouble. Again.

Apparently ditching school today was an offence punishable by death.

Who gave a fuck? Not like I needed that good behaviour to go to prom.

It was a miracle I was graduating at all. Because today was the only day I was caught.

I don't see why I was on house arrest.

No calls.

No Car Keys.

No cigarettes.

Or Alcohol.

Until Satan's mistress said I could.

Dumb bitch didn't know me at all.

I'd be out of here by midnight.

And back before she knew.

Guess I was lucky Dad was out of town. Or he would've beaten my ass. He only had time to hide my keys.

"Fuck", I swore as I threw my old baseball above me then caught it again. There was Nothing else to do but lie in my room and wait until the bitch went back to work. Her asshole kid could take care of herself. I wasn't a babysitter.

I got up at 11pm when I was bored out of my wits. What the fuck was Susan doing in the laundry? All I could hear was that fucking water pipe screeching for the last forty minutes. It was making my eye twitch.

No other lights were on outside the hallway. And when I got to the back of the house the laundry door was closed. Not enough to make a sound. Because the hinge squeaks like you're in a horror movie and I couldn't be fucked fixing anything in this shit hole. Susan knew that. She was the one who didn't shut up about it. The door was closed just enough to hide whatever she was doing in there. I saw her shadow contrasting the yellow light. Moving between the sink on one side and the cupboard on the other.

What the hell was she doing?

I pushed open the door slowly so it didn't make a sound. She was washing something in the sink. Scrubbing at it with laundry soap beneath bubbled red water.

Awkward. I grimaced.

Must've been her time of the month.

But as she saw me standing there her skin went a few shades whiter.

"Oh", Susan gasped, holding her chest, "Billy",

"You're being really fucking loud", I grumbled, and turned to leave. Only to see the distorted face of a woman straddling a panther glaring at me from under the red water. It stopped me cold. And I looked again to make sure I wasn't going insane.

Susan sighed gently and released the drain plug. Running cold water over the denim jacket. But it still ran red.

"Why do you have that?", I Spat And nudged her out of the way. My shaking fingers grabbed it from her.

She'd gotten off a lot of blood but there were still outlines of a stain set deep into the fabric. All over the right lower corner and side.

And then Jasmine perfume hit me.

Sierra.

If she was dead or hurt Dean would've rang me. He would've let me know.

...But he couldn't ring me.

Because Dad unplugged the phone.

Fuck. My heart beat in my ears. I took a deep breath to ease it, uttering

"What happened?", as I looked between her and the jacket in my hands.

"The Floor collapsed. Sierra and Prue fell two storeys into a basement",

I closed my eyes to ask, "She alive?".

"Billy. Do you think I would've kept something like that from you? There's a laceration on an artery at her hip. She bled a lot. Prue got impaled by an iron rod. Lots of loose metal in a place like that. She'd be more likely to die from tetanus...I tried to call from the hospital. I forgot Neil disconnected the phone...Dean is with her and her other Agent friends",

My gaze locked on her. How did she know that?

"I can keep a secret. Neil doesn't know she's an Agent",

"She can keep this", I dropped the jacket back into the sink. Stepping away from it like it was on fire. It felt like everything was imploding on me. Feeling the way I did and now Sierra being in hospital and Susan knowing her dark secret all along. It was all too surreal.

I tried. I fucking tried to fix my mistake. But Sierra didn't want that anymore. She didn't want me. She wouldn't take my calls. Wouldn't talk to me. I just wanted her to talk to me. Yell at me.

Anything.

Because going from her being attached at my hip to this was torture.

No one asked me how my day was. No one cared if I got into fights. No one worried if I didn't eat or drink enough.

I was alone.

Regret didn't really sum up my feelings. It seemed too kind.

Susan spoke mid thought, "I don't know where Neil hid your keys but I'm heading to the hospital in forty minutes. If you want—",

"She doesn't want to see me", I spoke firmly, her pretending to care act got old. I know she hated me as much as I hated her. At least I wasn't fooling anyone.

"Seeing her doesn't mean you're back together. It just means you're not an asshole. She's been through something traumatic. And seen her friend grievously hurt. You were family to her and Dean.",

"I'm not anymore",

"Okay", Susan pressed her lips together. She had no patience for me on a good day, unlike her spoiled little brat. Did she really expect me to do the honourable thing? "Close the door when you leave", She added.

And I did leave.

I wandered back to my room with this gaping hole in my chest. If we were still together I would've been out the door so fast you'd see my outline. I probably would've been the one in that hospital with her. Matching beds.

What was I supposed to do, now?

She wasn't some five second fling. She was...Sierra. My girl.

The one who picked me up off the ground and bandaged me until I could walk again. Until I could feel again.

Fuck.

I laid down in my bed that smelled of her perfume. Her side laid untouched. As if she were coming back. But I held her red satin pillow to my chest, breathing in the faint scent of her. Candy Apple and Jasmine.

In that darkness frustrated tears absorbed into the slippery material.

I fucked everything.

And now I was watching it burn. The only thing I loved.

I was that silently crying mess for hours. Staring at that ceiling above me. Until I had to get up to piss.

I met the most annoying little rodent on the way out of the toilet. Red hair gave her away.

"What the fuck are you doing?!", I hissed, she scared the fuck out of me. I pushed past her to the sink and washed my hands. The rodent followed.

"I know where he hides your keys", It spoke.

"Excuse me?", I blinked at her through the mirror. Fuck I looked like shit.

Max was dressed. Like I was taking her anywhere.

"I want to go to the hospital",

"Then learn to drive, brat", I snarled, wiping my hands on the mint coloured towels.

"...I want to see her", She spoke softer, her eyes meeting the ground. "You don't have to. You can leave me in the carpark and go. But I want to see her.",

"Why?",

"I liked having a sibling", She shrugged from the doorway, "She was nice to me and stuff.",

I swallowed before turning around to her. Hearing Sierra's name in the past tense made my stomach feel empty, "I'm nice to you",

"You hate me",

"Yeah, because you're an asshole",

"You want your keys or not?", Max murmured,

I did want my keys. And she knew it.

My jaw clamped together at the thought of giving her what she wanted. I really didn't want to do that. But I needed to escape this house. "I'm dropping you at the hospital sign. You can walk the rest of the way",

"Okay", She muttered, taking my keychain from her back pocket. "...Or I can drive",

"You don't know how to drive stick shift", My eyes narrowed.

She cleared her throat, stepping lightly with her words, "Sierra taught me",

"You wanna drive? Fine. At least we're going to the right place.", My eyes rolled as I swept back to my room, unbuttoning the top of my jeans, "Give me a minute",

"Ew",

"To get dressed, you freak", I shook my head and closed the door. Leaning my head against it.

Fuck..fuck! My hand scrubbed down my face.

I was a coward.

The thought of seeing Dean made my throat ache. He knew what I'd done. I was ashamed. And I couldn't look him in the eye until I was worthy of Sierra. Until I was sure nothing like what I did to her the last night we were together would ever happen again. Although I didn't have much time for drinking or parties lately. Didn't have time for Kelsey either. She'd always been a Band-Aid to me. That's all she was. A fish caught on my hook to reel in when I was lonely.

A terrible way to treat someone really.

I put on some dark jeans and a leather jacket. Ran a comb through my hair and doused myself in cologne.

Then a whining voice came from outside my door, "You need help zipping up your dress?",

"Your next smartass comment decides if the car is stopped when I let you out, brat", I sneered while zipping up my boots.

She waited for me on the other side of the door, frowning, "Yeah, let's stop for coffee before we go",

"You don't drink coffee, you're five",

"Sierra buys me coffee",

"Fine", I sighed as we walked to the front door. "Lock the door",

It was a silent walk to my car. Apparently she was driving. Let's see how far she got before that changed.

We got in and I watched the gremlin put my keys into the ignition. "Fix the mirrors", I barked. And she did, putting the car in first gear, "Seatbelt", I added, "And turn the headlights on"

She searched the steering wheel for a second.

"Left knob, two clicks", I sighed.

When the lights were on I held onto the side handle and my car lurched forwards. "Geez, ease up on the clutch. It's not going to bite you",

"Can you play some music or something?", She murmured, shifting into second. Not only shifting but double shifting.

Too well.

My eyes narrowed, "Did she teach you to drive in my car?",

"You had hers", Max replied softly. "Does it really matter you guys were like married?",

The words were like a punch to the gut. I sat back deeper in my seat, murmuring, "Foreigner or Iron Maiden?",

"Iron maiden", She scoffed loudly, shifting again.

Of course. I put the cassette in and watched the silhouettes of trees whir by. Shifting in my seat. "We lived together. We weren't married.", I said.

"Yeah, right. You guys were engaged", Max retorted softly.

"...How did you know that?",

"Mom pointed out the ring",

"Yeah well...we're not anymore", I snapped.

"No shit", She murmured, I hated when she did that. You could hardly ever hear what she was saying.

"Why do you speak so quietly? I can never hear you. Speak up"

"...You yell at me if I do",

Maybe I was an asshole.

She was terrified of me and I knew it,

I liked it,

"...I won't yell at you", I breathed, running my hands over my face. I was so fucked up.

"You always yell", She spoke softly again.

"You got a real bug up your ass tonight.", I chuckled lightly.

"I'm annoyed at you", She replied in a louder tone.

"Why?",

"I can't tell you. You'll yell at me",

"I'm guessing it has to do with Sierra",

"I miss her", She went back to being quiet. And I could tell she was on the borderline of tears.

"Okay, She was your friend—"

"You were nice when she was around. You were happy. And now you're always angry and yelling at people.",

"You're a kid, you don't understand—",

"What? She's an Agent that hunts demons? She's so cool, Billy. She's fucking awesome. And...",

"And what?",

"Other people see that too",

"What other people?",

"There's a dude she works with, he's tall and wears this silver ring. He thinks she's cool too. I bet he's at the hospital. I can point him out",

"Nice try", I pressed my lips together as she turned into the gas station.

There was no conversation as we waited for coffee. We just got back in the car and drove.

"I wasn't always happy", I spoke amidst the silence, scaring Max.

"What?",

"When I was with Sierra.",

"Yeah, I know. You bitched out when you guys were engaged.",

"No, Her job—",

"Kept you both from dying? I mean you wouldn't have had guns. You sure as hell wouldn't have saved her. And she wouldn't have been with you to begin with."

"You weren't there",

"She was. And She still wanted to marry you",

"You're full of opinions tonight",

"Learned from the best",

"Hmm, how'd you know where Dad hid my keys?",

"How did you not? He hides everything in Grandma's urn. There's no ashes in it",

"...Then where's Grandma?", I asked with narrowed eyes.

"In a jar of pasta sauce",

"That's fucked", I laughed at the sheer nonsense.

"I think it's 'Mamma Silvia's' actually",

Laughter echoed through the car in the darkness of morning. All until we came to the hospital sign and Max slowed the car,

I looked at that hospital and it looked at me. But only one of us was afraid.

"Thanks for the ride", Max murmured as the car came to a stop.

"I wasn't serious. You can drive into the carpark"

"...Okay",

And she did.

The closer that white building came the more I felt myself shrink. The faster my heart beat in my chest.

Then the car was stopped again. She got out.

"...I know what room she's in if you want to see her",

I didn't respond but stared back at that building.

I bitched out last time.

"Don't stay too long, you've got school tomorrow", I replied in place, dragging myself over to the driver's seat.

"Okay", She frowned and wandered into the front doors.

In my mind the memory played over again.

"Oh shit, that fence got you good, baby", Sierra frowned at the gash in my forearm. We'd run from a disgruntled homeless woman with knives. I underestimated the fence. The picket slashed my arm. And fucked my jacket.

Trust the only job we went on that wasn't chasing ghosts to be the one I hurt myself.

We hid low in the Grass fields. Where the tall grass gave cover.

Sierra had a sheen of sweat on her brow from running with that rifle In her hands. Fuck she was fast. I had one gun and it slowed me down significantly. She had three.

"I think we're going to have to cut it off", She laughed, out of breath, and shouldered the rifle.

I frowned while wiping the line of blood away from my arm. "I could be mortally wounded.",

"But you're not",

"I think I feel faint",

"Hey, If you're wounded, I'm wounded. Looks like matching hospital beds for us",

"I hate the hospital", I murmured, looking through the tall grass. It was a hike back to the car.

"Yeah, so do I. That's how much I love you. I ain't leaving you alone in there.", She chuckled. "It's all white and sanitary. You'd be bored. That might need stitches though", Sierra turned my arm towards her and looked at it sideways.

"It's just a scratch",

"And hell is just a pit of fire.",

"What does that even mean?",

"It means if you ever get hurt I'm going to be like your shadow. We're setting up a lounge room in that hospital. I'm moving in",

I smiled, because I believed her. She was the only person I believed to hold that promise. Sierra loved me hard and I...wish I had appreciated that more than I did.

"Does that mean I'm stuck with you forever?",

"Forever and a day, baby",

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Each step into the hospital made my heart race,

"Don't you say a fucking thing", I warned Max as I got on the elevator with her.

"Wasn't going to", She murmured in response.

"Good.",

The elevator went up to floor six and opened. Neither of us moved,

"Well?", I asked.

"What?",

"Is this the floor?",

"If this was the floor I would've gotten out.",

A nurse walked in to the elevator, smiling gently at us both. She pressed floor 12 and I watched the doors shut.

"This is us", Max murmured at the ding of the eleventh floor. This whole place looked virtually the same on each level. Like a fucking maze.

I had to get out.

I had to see Sierra.

Didn't make it easier to move my boots.

But I did.

I followed Max to a ward where we had to be buzzed in. But I guess they knew her there. Because visiting hours were long over.

"Hey Max", A grey haired woman greeted us on the other side. "Come on through",

There was a waiting room behind the reception. But it was empty. That made my heart rate settle a fraction.

Fuck. What was I doing here?

She didn't want to see me.

I shouldn't have come.

"She's in here", Max took a sharp left past the waiting room and motioned to an open door.

"You coming in?", I murmured.

"Why? She's your wife", She grunted and walked back the way we'd come.

Little bitch.

Fuck.

I ran my hand over my face before I stepped through the door. The lights were dimmed but enough to see.

Three people were crammed in Prue's bed sleeping. I know it was hers because she was the only one hooked up to anything. Sierra had originally had on a breathing mask on but it looked like a nurse had come past, said she wasn't paid enough, and wheeled over the oxygen tank from Sierra's bed.

And on the end, my Buddy Steve. Him and Prue were cuddled together.

Weird.

I shook my head and walked around the side to Sierra. There was about twenty centimetres between her and Prue. She hated people touching her. Didn't matter who. I smiled at the thought, glancing down to the yellow stitching peaking out above her blanket.

'Billy'

She was wearing my jacket. And I'd be goddamned if that didn't make my eyes well up. I can't believe she went along with that stupid fucking bet. Fuck, I was too in love with her to think straight then.

Too insecure to see that she liked me back.

That jacket signified the only good thing I'd ever done. I wanted her to remember me like that. Not the jackass I was at the end of our relationship. Me, alcohol and pain meds really made a spectacle when we were together.

Hurting Sierra was the last straw for me. It was the final time I'd say I didn't need help. I think seeing the look on my therapist's face when I told him how I ended our engagement made the cut that bit deeper.

He was an Agent so I could explain the demon thing.

It helped. Helped me with what I'd seen at Everdeen castle.

Didn't bring Sierra back though.

I'm not sure I could.

I whispered through the ache in my throat, "I'm glad you're okay", and gently brushed my fingers over her hand. It was cold. This whole room was. So I pulled that blanket up higher on her.

And I left.

—————————

I got a call on Saturday in the early hours of the morning. It was 4:15AM when I answered the phone that rang loudly next to my head. Half asleep I held it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Sierra?", A voice wavered on the other line

"Tommy Lee?", I sat up straighter in my bed. He sounded weird.

"Si...Something weird is happening at my house",

"What do you mean?",

"One of—One of my walls has stopped being made of wall",

"What?"

"Sierra I walked through my wall",

"Are you high?",

"I really wish I was", He exhaled,

"Okay...where'd you go when you walked through the wall?"

"It was like Hawkins...But everything was dead. And rotted."

"Tommy, Don't walk back through that wall okay?", I panicked. Fuck. Another portal.

"Okay", Was all he murmured weakly. "Your Dad's an Agent right? Can he..."

"I'm on my way, Give me your address and I can be there in five minutes."

"Acacia Lane in Loch Nora. Big maroon mansion on the corner.",

"Acacia Lane", I nodded, "Tommy, Just stay away from that wall.",

"Gotcha. I think I'm gonna lie down",

"Wait. Are you alone? Can you wait with somebody?"

"Grandparents are out of town and the housekeeper doesn't work weekends. I'm gonna wait downstairs"

"Good idea. I'll see you soon",

"Bye bye",

I got dressed in three minutes. Flared jeans and my thermal shirt just in case. My duffel was still in the truck with my weapons and Kevlar just incase. The whole drive my mind raced. I was out of the house so fast I didn't even tell Dad where I was going but I radioed my location and the possible portal. Just to be safe. The whole time wondering how this happened. How this could've popped up in someone's house. There's never been a case of the demon appearing in someone's walls. Why now? Why Tommy?

I came to A Victorian Manor on the corner of Acacia Lane. Admiring the wealthy facade of the estate. A deep mauve house stared back at me. Nicer than I expected. I parked outside of the paved driveway. Since Tommy was alone I holstered my gun to my thigh, donning my leather badge wallet instead of the Kevlar. Just incase.

Hedges bordered either side of me up that straight driveway. A grand garden to the left. Manicured painstakingly perfect. With topiary animals outside of the pool area.

This was a historical home. It had to be. I thought as I stood before the stained glass twin doors. They didn't make houses like this anymore.

I knocked once.

"Tommy",

Waiting a minute.

But no answer.

"Shit",

My fist rapped against the door again.

Again no answer.

I got a little worried after the third try.

So I tried the door handle and it twisted open. I noticed then it wasn't closed properly at all.

"Tommy!", I called as I stepped into the foyer, my gun in my hands.

The room was panelled in dark wood and red wall papering. A real rich person space. With a fireplace and an armchair next to a table that had two cigars on its surface.

"Tommy!", I called from the nadir of the staircase at the back of the foyer. It spanned off into a kitchen and a sitting room.

I wandered the whole first floor with no luck before braving the stairs. While the sun had begun to rise it was still as dark as night in here. I turned on lights as I went, flicking on the glass chandelier above the staircase. My gun aimed true with every step. I climbed them quickly, feeling for the next light switch that illuminated a long hall.

"Tommy", I called once more but received silence again. Fuck. Where was he?

With each room I swept I felt my heart beat quicker. Wondering where he was. If something had gotten him from the underground. Five rooms down and I hadn't heard a peep but for the wooden floorboards creaking under my boots. Didn't help the house was a palace. Almost everything was accented in marble or gold. Door knobs, counters, Pillars. The amount of money spent on one floor was insane.

But still no Tommy.

I didn't like this. It seemed too strange.

And as I crept around the corridor I could've screamed. Coming face to face with Tommy.

He did scream. But that was probably because of the gun pointed at his chest.

"Jesus fucking Christ Tommy", I swore, lowering my weapon, "What happened to staying down stairs?!",

He smiled, blinking slowly, "You're a good friend, Si",

I went still as he hugged me tightly. A familiar scent wafting off his Motörhead shirt. "Tommy? Have you been smoking?", I spoke into his hair.

"Lil bit here. Lil bit there", He murmured, twisting my own hair in his fingers.

"Okay", I nodded, stepping out of his drug induced hug. I held his chest back with my hand. "Can you show me that wall? The one you walked through?",

"That was scary", He nodded quickly, leading me by the hand down that hallway. His long gaited steps led me to a room with an adjoining bathroom and balcony. The walls were decorated in Satanic paraphernalia with a cat lying on the middle of the four poster bed.

"I walked straight through this wall", Tommy spoke softly, touching the red wallpaper behind his bed. I watched in awe as his hand went straight through it. Fuck. It was a portal.

"Shit", I exhaled, scanning over his beside that contained a pornographic magazine. A machete, a can of bug spray and a blowtorch. An odd sort of collection.

"Did anything come out of the wall?", I asked him, green eyes widening. "I didn't even think of that? Oh, what if something's in the house? I do things in this room that aren't—Holy.",

"Did you see anything?",

"No",

"Good", I sighed, swiping my own hand through what should've been a solid surface. Something growled as I did. Tommy turned to the cat to silence him.

"That wasn't the cat, Tommy Lee", I ground out, raising my weapon. Tommy grabbed the machete off the dresser as I pushed him behind me. Flesh beginning to poke out of the portal. That growl then was deafening. And Archibald didn't want anything to do with it. He scurried out of the room just as an adult Demogorgon peeled itself out of the wall. That face hole opening like a flower with its next low chitter. I shot once and then seven times. Learning my lesson on hesitating the first time. The bullets slowed its approach but didn't really pin it down like I'd hoped. It threw the dresser at us like it was nothing. Solid wood flying at Tommy.

"Down!", I reefed him downwards as wood splintered off the fireplace. That beast running at us. Two more shots rang out. Each bang making Tommy flinch. Fuck. I was out.

The Demogorgon grabbed me by the neck without delay, pointed talons sinking into my flesh as it snarled. All the while I felt for the blowtorch under my knee. Grabbing the bug spray with the other. Blood trickled down my throat from the needles digging into my skin. I swallowed against it. Each breath that left my lips was another I didn't think I'd get. That eyeless creature could've ended me in one swift movement. One throw. And my spinal cord would've snapped clean through. With one last futile grab I finally scooped the blowtorch into my hand. Raising it to the gaping maw of a face that chittered before me. My finger pressed down on the aerosol. Flame spewing into that mouth hole. The creature stumbled back with a violent scream. And I didn't release that button until there was no more bug spray left to propel orange flame. Until the beast was fully alight and writhing. Screeching so loudly Tommy held his ears.

I breathed heavily, just watching the Demogorgon flail. Wide eyes hoping that this was enough to kill it. I didn't have anything more. And now the stench of my own blood began to make me light headed.

The longer I stared at the beast the more I noticed it wasn't moving. Still alive but unable to step forward. My chin tilted and its neck made a terrible cracking noise.

With its hollow screech a dribble of blood seeped down from my nostril.

Tommy's tall figure raised from the remains of his dresser, gently touching the aching cut on my neck. Blood coating his fingertip.

Tommy was many things but he wasn't a fighter. I don't think I'd ever even saw him angry. You could imagine my reaction when he lunged forward and swung that machete in his hand. Hitting hard enough that on the third slice the creature's head toppled off its shoulders, flying far away from its body. A Thud on the carpeted floor to mark its landing. He waited until it's charred body fell to turn his back. And all I could do was stare back at him with a gaping mouth. Wondering if I had actually died and I was hallucinating.

"You're a cop aren't you?", Was all he said above that disoriented stare. Just covered in black blood now.

"Central intelligence Agent, Sierra Morningstar", I corrected slowly, reloading my glock. I placed it back in its holster before he spoke again.

"CIA?",

"Yeah", I sighed.

"And you deal with those things?",

"Lately, yeah", I shrugged, watching his hand skim by his chin. Blinking about seventy times.

"And this is real?",

"Unfortunately", I holstered my glock.

He laughed this sort of nervous chuckle as if he didn't believe it. "A monster just came out of my wall",

"I know it's a lot to take in", I held up my hand as he started to pace.

"I'm too high for this Sierra", He exasperated, flinging his hands. "Oh my god, you just started shooting it. Pow. Pow. Pow. That was insane. You're insane",

"Tommy", I tried to interject, flattening my hand on his chest as he turned inwards to me. "Are you okay?",

Bottle green eyes lowered to me, settling there. His lips ran over one another. Searching for words. For reason. "I'm not sure this is even real", He near whispered, his hand a ghost at the side of my face. "But if it isn't", He pressed his lips into mine, kissing me softly then lingering there. Because he was so tall he held my chin upwards. My heart beating a million miles a minute. I knew he was high. That he didn't mean it. But it was a nice kiss. A sweet gesture.

"Tommy", I spoke against his mouth. "This is real",

"Ugh, don't say that", He groaned, still a little light headed from the kiss. "Because that would just make me the worst friend in the world",

"I forgive you.", I murmured, taking a step back.

"Billy won't",

"Billy's moved on",

"No. He hasn't", Tommy sighed, looking over that portal in his wall, "He's in love with you. He just wanted you to stay gone when you left. I fucking understand why now",

"What?", My neck cocked.

"You can't tell him I told you that. I had to get him so drunk to find that out. He'll kick my ass. But yeah, he didn't want you to come back to Hawkins. Even for him",

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard", I raised my brow, eyeing off the corpse on the carpet. It's black blood seeping in.

"That's what I told him",

"Well, Billy made his bed",

"That mean you're over him?"

"No. But I'm done crying over him", I sighed,

"Good...Did he know about—" Tommy motioned to me and then to the headless Demogorgon on his floor.

"Are you kidding? He was my wingman. He loved this sort of shit. I even taught him to shoot", I laughed gently, the words making me sad. Speaking about him in the past tense was heartbreaking, "Now I've got to fight off otherworldly demons alone. I mean there's other Agents, but they don't really hit the same.",

"So you're telling me Billy Hargrove knowingly dated a cop? I know this isn't real now...",

"The job took its toll on him. He couldn't handle the demon thing anymore", I shrugged, as if it helped. I think I was just talking to keep his mind off the demon dead at his feet. Or the blood coated machete that hung limply in his hand.

"I see why", He nodded.

"Agent Morningstar", Troy's voice echoed through the hall.

"Third Bedroom on the right", I called back, hearing his footsteps loom closer. He came into the room, stopping as soon as his hazel eyes met the demon dead by Tommy's feet. As wide as I'd ever seen them. That rifle lowered in his hands and Agent Johnson entered behind him.

"Mrs Johnson?", Tommy gasped, squinting at the Kevlar clad woman then to Troy.

"It's a portal", I spoke to the Agents, turning my sight back to Tommy as a thought popped into my head, "What's the wall made of?",

"The columns are marble, the same as the big ass fountain at the park. The rest is pine I think",

"Marble", I nodded

"...I think",

I turned my attention to Troy, "Everdeen Castle has a marble fireplace",

"And?",

"It's worth looking at",

He exhaled a long annoyed breath, "It's a shot in the dark if that",

"Then at least it's a shot", I returned his irritable voice.

Doris Johnson was quiet as she kicked the corpse on the floor. As if it'd disappear. Like she wanted it to. That rifle repositioning in her grasp.

"I'm going to take Tommy out of here.", I added, Troy nodded weakly. Eyes flickering to the Demogorgon then to me. "Did you burn it?",

"Shot, burnt and decapitated",

"Why was it necessary?", He pressed like he were Jameson himself.

"It wasted my bullets", I justified,

"Get Tommy a shower before you take him out of the house", Troy suggested dryly, looking the tall man over with a grimace. "We've got a team on their way to close the portal. Should be done in about three hours.",

"Keep the door closed. There's a cat running around somewhere", I commented

"10 4. And Sierra. You're not leaving here with that blood running down your neck. Come back to me when he is cleaning up.",

"I wouldn't want you to strain yourself, Passmore",

I swivelled back to Tommy, his eyes off in vast distance. Just staring at that shattered dresser. "Hey", My fingers curled around his hand, around the handle of that machete. "Let's leave this with Troy", I spoke softly, taking the weapon from his grasp. He met my stare as I handed the machete to Troy. "We'll get you cleaned off and get some coffee or something.",

"I don't drink coffee", He replied gently.

"How about a drink then? We'll hit the bar",

"The bar?",

"Where ever you want to go. But first let's pick some clothes and get you into the shower.",

"I need to see Fallon", He inhaled deeply, darting towards his wardrobe. About ten seconds later he came back out with a dark shirt and black jeans strung over his shoulder.

"Cloth", He spoke weakly with that glazed over look in his eyes. I nodded, glancing over to his ensuite.

"There another bathroom in this palace?",

"Down the hall. Right. Second door",

"Come on then", My fingers curled around his wrist and I led him out of that room, closing the door behind us.

————

Tommy was a hell of a lot more coherent when I got him out of that house. After he'd washed all that black blood off his skin. His wet hair hung loosely down his back as he tightened a studded belt around his hips. Stopping beside my car.

The sun had fully risen now but it was still cold outside. Ice hanging off my breath as I unlocked my door for him.

We drove in silence. I think he was trying to comprehend just what he'd seen and learned. Every few minutes his brows dipped like he was having an intense conversation with himself.

"Do—Do I have to worry about that wall disappearing again?", He asked in quiet horror.

"No, all the others have held once we've closed them. It's kinda like resewing a tear in a pair of jeans.",

He spoke with the base of his voice as his head lulled back against the seat, "I have a lot of walls in that house, Si-Storm",

Truthfully I didn't know if another gate would open in Tommy's house. I didn't know why one did in the first place. And I weighed my options. To lie to him or let him live in fear.

"They're not after you, Tommy",

"It sure felt personal",

"I don't understand why your house became a portal. Could be the location. The land. Could be a coincidence", I shrugged while biting down on my gum. "Which makes you just the unluckiest sumbitch in Hawkins",

Tommy sliced his sight to me, his mouth slightly open, "What if I summoned it?",

"You didn't summon a tear in space and time", I murmured,

"So this isn't a satanic, hell demon thing?",

"I wish it was, I know the Latin for it now", I sighed, turning into Main Street. "No, those portals lead to another dimension. Kinda looks like a hell dimension though.",

"Wait, you've been there? I poked my head through then dipped",

"I have",

"Was it...cool?",

"Really dark, actually",

"Wait, isn't a tear in space called a black hole?", Tommy sat up a bit straighter. "They kinda swallow all light that passes and tear apart everything else...Supposedly. It's all measured Entropy though. No one really knows until a human actually passes through. It's a pretty safe assumption that we'd die though",

"Entropy?", I cocked my neck,

"A degree of disorder or randomness.", He spoke like he was reading from a dictionary.

"How do you remember all that?", I asked again, "I don't retain anything from science.",

"I have that photographic memory thing. It's like really clear images flashing in my head of words. I found out just the other day that not everyone has it.",

It baffled me, how interesting he was. Effortlessly. How rare his eccentricities were. "No shit", I whistled lowly, "I wasn't expecting that, Uh—So black holes?",

"It's just a theory", He shrugged, Adding a joking "Unless they're telekinetic",

I pressed my lips together tightly. Exhaling a long breath.

"...They're fucking telekinetic aren't they?", He groaned,

"I only know that the big boss is",

"Ugh, I don't—I. Telekinetic? Telekinetic?!", He hall whispered and yelled.

"Calm down, Thomas. It's not after your ass", I held my hand up to calm him.

"Who—who is the telekinetic hell demon after?",

I listed out the casualties on my fingers, "Well...Me, My fellow Agents. Mainly me",

"Why?",

"I pissed it off",

"No kidding",

"Its why Billy and I aren't together anymore", I sighed,

"Because Hell demon is trying to kill you?",

"Because I came close...I narrowly escaped dying and all he could do was watch. He thought I was dead",

"How?",

"Demon jumped me on Billy's Birthday. I took him to a haunted castle and when we were in the basement this creature grabbed me and dragged me into a boiler room. I heard Billy banging on the door the whole time.", I closed my eyes for a second to take myself back there, "It was dark in that room and all I could feel were these skeletal fingers around my neck, holding my cheek against the wall so I wouldn't look at it. It referred to me as Agent Morningstar. I forgot to mention that Billy shot it in the throat before it reefed me into that room. So every word it uttered spewed blood on my chest and neck. And when it was weak enough I turned out of its grasp. I saw it for what it was beyond white skin and black tears.",

"Which was?",

"Agent Harrelson",

"As in Mr Harrelson?",

"Yeah", I cleared my throat to rid the stinging in my eyes. The pain. "He killed himself to save me",

"I don't understand",

"Something from that other world possessed him. And it was trying to possess me. Because for some reason Male Agents can't withhold it's power for more than a few hours. They bleed out the demons in this black blood.",

"Wait. Then why'd we rob Harrelson? What was with the Latin?", Tommy shifted uncomfortably, his mind running a million miles a minute.

"Let me preface this by saying these demons can't withstand sunlight and before Harrelson strolled on out into the sun he turned to me and said, 'Let us live since we must die...Grant them no mercy Agent Morningstar' Then his skin melted from his bones,", I explained bluntly.

"No pressure", Tommy scoffed lightheartedly, his hand lightly tapping his thigh.

"Tell me if I'm overwhelming you",

"Si, something with telekinetic powers is trying kill you. You should worry about yourself",

"I've had a while to process that, Tommy, I'm worried about you now.",

"Why—Why would you stay here? That's fucking insane Sierra. You should run to fucking Mexico. I would",

I breathed out softly. Holding onto the glass pendant around my neck. Bits of glitter shining in the morning sun, "Because I need to know William is safe before I go. I'm hunting everything I can in that time. Killing anything that could come for him once our Agents are dead. I need the demon dead before I go ",

"Why would it come for Billy?",

"Because he's the next best thing after me. Once this thing possesses someone who knows how deeply him and I were together...Once the other side knows how to get me it's only a matter of time before they go for him.",

"So what? They steal our memories?",

"Yup. It's Pretty much 'Invasion of the body snatchers' in this place. Whatever controls the underground can take our memories but their duplicates are emotionless, sort of cold. Nothing like how we would act. Or speak.",

"Si, I will book you a ticket to Mexico if you leave this town. I don't want to see a body snatched double of you.",

"I've got a job to do,", I smiled weakly, nodding while I did. "It's okay Tommy, if it happens it happens. I'm not afraid.",

"You should be",

"It comes and goes you know? Sometimes I'm really sad about it. Other times I'm not. I've gotten a lot done though", I sighed,

"If my daughter ever said that to me I'd seal her in a padded room",

"In Mexico?",

"Fallon is never coming back here. I'm making damn sure of that", He nodded, running his hand down his face. Every thought of that beautiful baby just making his hand tap faster on his leg.

"What's it like? Having a kid?", I changed the subject, trying to soothe him an inkling.

"She's the only thing I've ever done right. But I don't think I've slept on a weekend In almost a year. You have moments of pure dread. Like your heart is beating so fast and the kid is screaming. You don't know what it wants. And it can't tell you. Then you fuck up. Then you fuck up again. You give her too much formula and she cries all night then power vomits on you when you're half asleep. Or she gets sick and you don't know what to do. But sometimes there's this thing when they're sleeping or they're smiling at you and you can't really describe it. It's like despite completely fucking it all up she loves me more than anything. That took a while to get used to",

"That sounds terrifying", I murmured.

"It is. I'm glad I have Beth though, she's taught me all I know",

"We're you scared when you found out she was pregnant?",

"I think I had a mini stroke and died for a minute.", He explained, "We had been broken up for two months. I honestly didn't believe Fallon was mine until I saw her",

"Yeah there's no need for a paternity test there",

"I reckon you'd be a badass Mom in the future though.",

"Me? I don't think so",

"You'd be kicking asses and taking names with a baby attached to you.",

"Somehow I doubt that",

————————

I got drunk.

Prue and I both did.

It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was miserable. Her leg was making her miserable. And Steve wasn't fast enough to stop me grabbing the bottle of gin in my cupboard. I guess that's what happens when you have a night by the fire pit.

By the time I was tipsy that fire was toasting my side.

I'd dragged the patio lounges to the iron fire pit. Prue, Prue's sister Drew, Her Fiancé and Steve a were on the four seater and I laid across from them on my lonely wicker lounge. The fire separating us.

Drew was an Agent too, so was her Fiancé Reid. They were passing through. I'd hung with her before, she was cool.

"We should do this every night", Prue slurred as she held her cup to the sky. Steve was quick to keep it from pouring gin down her front.

"Get drunk?", I snickered while watching the orange flame dance into the sky.

"Can't get a hangover if you never stop being drunk",

"I don't think that's how it works", Steve murmured into her hair. She was half lying on his chest.

Drew was fully tipsy and strung over Reid, who kept her upright with the ginger touch at her waist.

I missed that.

Missed having someone care for me like he did with her.

Sitting there by myself made it really sink in. I was alone.

"You don't know", Drew frowned while fidgeting with his hand that laid across her velvet bodice. "So Si,", Prue's eyes flicked up to me, "I have—have a question. You don't have to answer. Only if you want to. You can tell me to shut up if you want", She flailed her hands above her like she were signalling a plane.

"What's that?",

"Okay", She breathed and sat up from Steve's chest with crossed legs, "Troy Passmore. Did you ever go there? I just mean you're really weird with him. You don't let him touch you or even look at you at all. ",

It caught me off guard. "No. No.", I slurred, "I had the biggest crush on him when I was thirteen though. Being heartbroken by him sucked the first time. I'm not risking that again. Ain't giving it the opportunity to happen",

"Can't be worse than the last breakup right?", Prue snorted and I felt myself go rigid. "You pick the worst guys, Si. You told me Billy was a nice guy and look what he did. Left you hanging by a thread.",

"Prue", Steve warned her softly, looking towards me with apologetic eyes.

"Okay. Okay. Okay. What if you take the risk? And the person you had the biggest crush in the world turns out to be your soulmate? The father of your kids? Put aside the fear for a second and just let yourself be happy, Si.",

"What if I don't need a man to be happy?", I scoffed,

"You need something. It can't all be misery and demon hunting all the time. You've gotta release that tension or you'll implode",

"Oh yeah? How?",

"Being railed by a guy that looks like he has experience", She commented, earning a harsh glare from Steve. "Hey", He said.

"What?",

I couldn't even think about that. I didn't want to. Something broken within me thought William was coming back. That he was just away.

Any day now he'd be back.

Any day.

"Sierra", Steve interrupted my thought, "You good space cadet? You were zoned out for like five minutes.",

"Sorry,", I shook my head and focused my sight back on them.

"Okay. So prom? You going Si?", Prue asked.

"I—No. I've got too much stuff going on here. Dad and I are going to Cali two days after. It's going to be stressful enough", I murmured in response, staring down at the glass in my fingers. Orange flame crawled over its surface.

"—No one is going to blame you for not showing up with a date, Si",

"I don't care about that",

"Then what's the problem?",

"I'm not going to be one of those sad people sitting alone at the table while all the couples are dancing",

"You're not going to be alone. You've got us", Steve tried to reassure me.

"You guys are going with people. You'll be a couple",

"What if we act like we're just friends with our dates for the night. No kissing or anything. Will you come then?", Prue begged.

"That's ridiculous Prue. I'm not going to ask you guys to do that. It's Prom",

"But it's the last time we're going to see you, Sierra", She added in a softer voice.

"No it's not.",

"Other than when you say goodbye to us when else will we see you?".

I didn't respond but sank further into my couch cushions. My sight dipped to the ground. "I can't see him", I murmured, "It's going to be too hard.",

"Why?",

Because I loved him.

Because I'd already said goodbye.

All of the above.

"I picked out my prom dress with him. I was going to prom with him",

"We'll get you another dress",

"I'm not going Prue"

"Okay. I think it's home time for you", Steve spoke softly and urged her to sit upright.

"Hey, I'm not that drunk", She grumbled, sending daggers his way.

"Spell drunk",

"No",

"Let's go home", He got up with her at his side. She laughed at his side and murmured something mean to him that made them leave extremely fast. Drew and Reid followed.

When they were gone I sat back outside in front of the fire. Staring into its depths with a drink in my hand. The last time I did the same it was over Jack's necklace. Over Jack. Now William.

I cried Silent tears in the night.

Each ribbon down my cheek absorbing into my collar. I didn't care enough to wipe them away.

Until a voice pierced the night.

"I'm pretty sure you can go blind by doing that",

I didn't have to turn to know it was Troy. Shit. I didn't want him to see me crying like a wimp out here.

As he stepped off the porch I wiped my tears with the sleeve of my jumper and took another swig of my whiskey.

"What are we drinking, kid?", He groaned like an old man as he sat down beside me, taking my glass out of my hand before I could respond. He must've just finished a job because he was still in his black dress pants and matching long sleeved shirt. Must've left the suit jacket in the car.

He was a little more disheveled than usual. His shirt was unbuttoned an extra two holes and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbow.

I watched him take a sip of my drink and place the glass back in my hands.

"Whiskey", I shrugged, continuing, "You ever find the Demon at the old pool?",

"No. It looked like you ran it through well enough though",

"I didn't even know it was there", I exhaled, wiping under my eyes.

His brow lowered, thinking for a minute before he spoke, "I—Uh, meant to swing by the hospital but—",

"It's not like I lost a limb. It's barely a wound",

"Ten stitches isn't barely a wound",

"You're aware I hurt myself often aren't you? It didn't even need stitches. It's fine now",

"Then you're either Superwoman or a liar. I saw the wound",

"Superwoman it is",

There was silence.

"...I'll tell you why I'm here if you tell me why you are", He exhaled defeatedly.

"You go first", I sniffled as he nudged my shoulder with his own.

"Okay. I fucked up in Los Angeles and I don't think your Dad can save my ass. I think the only reason I still have a job is because of this mission in Hawkins...And I'm scared. This job is all I have. All I know how to do.", He said gently.

Troy wasn't a feelings type of guy. By the way he was speaking I think he'd had a few drinks beforehand.

"What did you do?", I asked as if I could help.

"I fell back into old habits. Opiates. I was in a bad place and I just needed something. And my partner caught me. Threatened to turn me in if I didn't stop. Now The case I was working with him on is being investigated and if they find out...I'm fucked. Everything will disappear", Troy clasped his hands together, that gaudy silver signet ring on his finger reflecting the fire. His throat bobbed as he looked into the flame. And I squeezed the side of his hand for comfort. Because he looked lost and wounded. Not at all like himself.

I didn't know about the drug thing. I knew he had been a user in his youth. But he was such a saint now. He barely even swore.

I thought he was such an uptight, pristine agent. Exemplary in every sense of the word.

His conflicts were close to none. No fights, no broken rules, no suspensions.

But Perhaps under the surface Troy was as broken as the rest of us.

"Prue's sister and her adoring fiancé were here. And I realised I hate other people being in love.". I slurred, "It's all bullshit and fucking lies. And you know what? Billy punched a guy in the face for me. That's how we met. I hated him and he pursued me. He made me fall in love with him and then he left. He fucking left.", I swallowed back the tears, "Was I not enough for him? Did I not give him enough?",

"You were enough, kid", Troy groaned as he stretched his spine.

Seriously, was he 80 years old?

"Then why'd he leave me?" I didn't stop the tears that fell. One And then a tsunami.

"Because he's a teenager",

"I thought I was going to marry him. I really did. And the son of a bitch ran"

"At least this one didn't stab you", Troy snickered, taking the glass from my hand again.

"Am I faulty or something? I didn't date for four years after Jack. I thought I broke the mold with William...Guess not",

"Maybe the third time is the charm", He swallowed a mouthful of whiskey and refilled my glass with the bottle at his feet. "If not. We can kill him",

"What if it's not the same?",

"I'm not following",

"What if you get one chance at an epic love and William was mine? And now I'm just going to be chasing that until the day I die? Twelve divorces deep and eaten alive by my cats.",

"What if he wasn't?",

"...Sure felt like he was", My sight dipped to my feet, "He didn't apologise for all that terrible shit he said to me. And I didn't get the chance to scream at him or tell him what an asshole he was.",

"You've had a lot of chances. I've actually been waiting for the boot to drop",

"I'm not giving him that, he wants me to lose my shit at him",

"What's wrong with that?",

"He wasn't wrong", I sighed, "I put this job ahead of him and us. Now he's gone",

"Sounds depressing", Troy murmured.

"Thanks, it is",

"Things that are meant to stay usually do, Si. Take my sister for example. You guys were best friends. And I was her older, handsome, brother. Somehow we ended up better friends than you and her. And here I am now. Stuck in demon central with you".

"I didn't see you for years",

"Well I'm here now",

"How'd you end up here ?",

"Eliza is terrible?",

"Oh yeah", I laughed out of my nostrils. That flame making my cheeks hot.

"I don't think anyone's life turns out the way they think, Kid. You just gotta roll with the punches",

"Fuck the punches. The punches are bullshit. I say we fix the punches with a 12 gauge rifle",

"It's life", Troy shrugged and leaned back into the lounge.

"It's bullshit".

"One in the same, Buddy", He exhaled.

"Ew, don't say that word. I feel like Dad's here with us",

"What? Buddy?",

"Yeah",

"You call me Buddy all the time",

"I do not",

"Oh no, I forgot it's always Agent Passmore now",

My eyes rolled and I took the whiskey from his hand, taking a sip before I responded. "Please. If I started calling you Troy, Prue would have an aneurysm. I think Dad would too".

He tilted his gaze, commenting, "It's formal",

"Exactly. You should've seen Dad around William the first time. And Prue. Like fucking hyenas. Plus it would be weird to start calling you Troy again. And I don't want to", I added quickly. Cursing myself for comparing him to William. I wasn't even thinking of it like that. It just slipped out.

He watched me talk with this amused expression, his hands clasped in front of him as I took another swig. Let's just say he made me nervous. I'm not sure why. He just always had.

"I'm glad you're getting out of this place", He said while taking the glass out of my hand. "Finally",

"Yeah, I get to leave before all the interesting stuff happens", I sighed, feeling ripped off that I wasted two years undercover doing nothing and now there was an actual threat I was going.

"You get to stay alive", He corrected me, "Its not like the rest of us could keep doing our jobs with Demons coming after you left, right and centre.",

"Please, you just wanna use your shiny new rifle",

"Yeah, and you keep stealing my business.", He scoffed in a way that made me laugh. Adding, "Bitch" .

"Hey now, there's no need for the profanity. You need some money for the swear jar now?",

"Unrelated, but I think you're the perfect size to fit into that bread cupboard in your kitchen. Should we find out?",

"I think you're the perfect size for a hole in the backyard. Wanna find out?",

Troy held up a hand In surrender, drinking again. He made a face with this sip and a sound that made me think his throat was burning. It made him cough. "Hey", He spoke and coughed once again, "I know we don't talk about anything real nowadays, but I gotta know for my own well-being. What happened to Jack?",

Jack? The thought of him made me take the glass from Troy's hand and drain the rest. "Dean shot him", I said through the ache in my throat.

"What?", He blinked slowly like he waiting for the joke.

"It wasn't suicide. Dean shot him in the chest", I repeated in a stern voice.

His mouth opened a few times, "I—Uh, didn't know he was dead...I thought he went to jail or something",

"No", My head shook, "Jail is a vastly different place to where he is now",

"I thought something was off between you and Dean. I mean you two were always as thick as thieves.",

"He knew Jail wasn't going to keep Jack away from me. The police couldn't protect me from him before our day in court either. That's the problem with dating criminals. They're not really afraid of much.",

"Then why the rift?",

"He killed my boyfriend. There's lines we shouldn't cross and that's a big one.",

"I Agree...But everyone has lines they don't cross until they're forced to. Things blur. Become sort of distorted. The law couldn't protect you, Kid, so he did. Sounds like a hell of a Dad to me",

"Yeah. I didn't really get that until the whole demon attack. I mean I just saw the shadow of this thing attack him and I shot it without even knowing what it was. All I knew was that I couldn't let it kill my dad.",

"Being an adult sucks right? It means we get to see all ways we were wrong, and it's usually after the fact", He spoke softly and grabbed the bottle at his feet, filling the glass in my hand.

"You were never wrong. You were the golden boy", My eyes rolled.

"I was wrong for not saying goodbye to you before you left for Boston.",

My brow furrowed, "You said goodbye. Didn't you?",

"Nope. I went to Finn's house instead. By the time I got back you and Dean were already gone,",

"We weren't close friends.",

"I was embarrassed about what Eliza would say if she saw me say goodbye to you",

"Oh",

"Yeah. Pathetic right? I let a Thirteen year old bully me. You were an annoying kid but you always understood me, Sierra",

"Ew, don't call me that",

"What, Sierra?", His brow cocked.

"Yah",

"...Why?", He nearly whispered.

Because all I thought of when he said it was him whispering it in my ear in the dark on my Seventeenth birthday.

"Because if Dad ever finds out about my Seventeenth birthday party he'll shoot you next. And me after",

His throat bobbed, "And he's going to decipher that From me saying your name?",

My eyes rolled, "It's the way you say it",

"I say it like everyone else."

"No. You don't", I met those hazel eyes in warning, "You sound guilty",

"I do not", He scoffed, taking a longer swig.

"You do", I corrected, leaning into the chair, "You know you can tell me to shut up if I become annoying with my William misery",

"Become annoying?",

"Shut up", I swiped the bottle from his hand and took a long sip.

"It's all you talk about",

"I know",

"I'm just saying, pick up a hobby. Like pottery or crochet",

"Do I look 80?",

Troy smirked, "Nah, You look good for a goblin, though. Pilates?",

"Fuck you", I clasped my chest dramatically, "Asshole",

His dry chuckle echoed around us. Hazel eyes stuck on the fire. As Solemn as one could be. He was worried.

I still couldn't believe he was here in Hawkins

Troy Passmore.

It was like a fucked up dream.

My mouth moved in the absence of conversation, speaking lightly, "You're a good Agent, Troy. They won't fire you over one fuck up. Not if I'm in any comparison",

"Yeah", He nodded, scrubbing his hand down his face, "Yeah",

"You look miserable as hell", I observed.

Wanting to help him was one thing, knowing how was another.

He stared straight ahead into that fire, unblinking. Something within him was ready to break. I don't know how long he'd been this way. It's not like I was the greatest friend at that point. He was hurting and I couldn't see it.

I didn't want to see it. Not above my own grief.

My lips rubbed together as I murmured, "I've been a real selfish bitch haven't I?",

His brow cocked and I continued, "How old is that bruise on your face?",

His hand shot to the yellowing remnants of bruised skin along his jaw and down his neck, "It's nothing",

"It's not nothing", My throat hurt so bad that I could barely swallow as I stood. God, I'd become so miserable that I didn't even notice when anyone else was hurt. When it didn't concern William.

I came around the side of the lounge, kneeling there as I grabbed his hand against the armrest. His signet ring cold on my skin.

My other hand rested on top. Hazel eyes met me there as I rest my chin on top.

"Hobgoblin to Hobgoblin, You're going to be fine. You're going to finish out my contract like the dumb son of a bitch you are, and you're going to go back to LA as a legend. But first you're going to tell me about that bruise.",

He exhaled a long shaky breath, clearing his throat before he looked at me again, "A Farmer with a pitchfork on Wailing Road. I got the brunt end of a bad throw",

"Wailing Road?",

No way.

The guy that stabbed Prue.

My neck cocked as I asked, "Grey and black beard and a limp in his left leg?",

Troy's mouth opened but closed before words could escape, "...A Friend of yours?",

"He's about to be. I already shot him once", My lips quirked in promise as I stood from my spot.

That old fuck couldn't throw anything with broken wrists.

"Sierra", Troy followed my hurried steps to the patio stairs, grabbing my hand before I could climb more than three, "What are you doing?",

I turned on those steps, coming face to face with him in my smirk, "I thought that was obvious, Troy. I am going to tase a farmer in the family jewels",

His hot breath passed my cheek in his silent laugh, brows furrowing together like he were both entertained and concerned.

"You're drunk",

My hands planted on either of his shoulders, shaking him gently with each word, "Exactly, so any pitchforks thrown at me won't hurt until tomorrow",

"Sierra", He spoke firmly, the muscle in his jaw feathering. My hand raised to the side of his face where that bruise lingered, turning his cheek in my fingers to see under the floodlight. It was coloured in mixes of yellow, blue and purple even now. I couldn't imagine what it looked like fresh. My teeth clamped together at the thought. Brows lowering.

I hated the way my name rolled off his tongue. Hated how it made me feel like I was Thirteen again.

"Joykill", I murmured, stealing my hands back.

That was a weird thing to do.

Why did I grope his neck

Ugh.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, Kid, it's past 9pm?", He asked with a stupid smile.

I shot back, if only to redeem myself from the awkwardness I'd made, "Shouldn't you be picking out a reasonable funeral plan, Old timer, You're past your prime?",

He blinked quickly, "How's preschool?",

"How's the hip replacement?",

"Tall enough for the roller coaster yet?", Hazel eyes hardened on me and I stared back all the same. It was on.

"Old enough for a Walker yet?",

"Mole rat",

"Douche nozzle",

"Half-Eaten crayon",

My laughter exploded out of my nose in the strangest sound, like a snickering wheeze. Curse him that was funny and unexpected.

I loved the way he pronounced Crayon in his southern accent that he tried to hide. Crayn

"You'll pee yourself", Troy warned.

"Half-Eaten Crayon?!", I asked between chuckles.

His lips pursed thoughtfully as he watched me laugh. Too humble to admit it was a hilarious comeback.

"Night, Kid", He replied softly, bowing his head as he did.

"You COULD go home to your sad empty house. Or you could get drunk with me", I shrugged.

"My house isn't sad", He replied, his sight meeting the stairs, "And I don't think that's a good idea",

My eyes rolled, "Fine, come get sober with me. But I'm not letting you leave looking as miserable as you do, so how do you take your coffee?",

He tried not to smile at the words, "In the morning, when it's not 11pm",

"Tea? Soda?Juice?",

"No wonder your front tooth rotted away, how about just water?",

"It didn't rot away, smartass, It came off with the braces", I sneered as if it helped.

He blinked slowly in response and I knew what he was going to say so I said,

"Shut up!",

"So...Water? And what a slumber party?",

"Water and slave labour", I shrugged, "I'm rearranging my room and I need help lifting the furniture",

His brows furrowed, "I'm not going to see anything I'm going to need therapy for am I?",

"Like what? A whip and fuzzy handcuffs? Because I've already packed those away...No. You're safe. If I run the chance of Dad walking into my room assume anything incriminating has been burned",

"Fine",

————-

William Chambers, or Bill to most, had been an Agent for 10 years before the Hawkins assignment. Before he was possessed by a demon.

Paul Harrelson had told me about Agent Chambers but it had slipped my mind then. I'd been so worried about what the demon had uttered to me that he never came back up again.

Until I was sleeping.

Remembering.

Fountain, Red flipping twice on the night of dancing, William.

Harrelson had never called Billy William before in his life. There was 'Dickhead', 'Tight jeans', 'Billy Bob', 'Hargrove', 'Double D (Dickhead, and Dumbass)', but never William.

He'd called Agent Chambers William. And I thought to myself maybe Harrelson hadn't been talking about Billy at Everdeen castle before he died.

At 4AM I got dressed and headed out the door to find out. My keys just landing in my palm before Troy's voice rang out from the couch, "No jobs without a higher ranking Agent",

I stopped, turning as he sat up in his crumpled black shirt. His hair dishevelled at all angles, "It's not a job", I said.

We'd gotten drunk after successfully moving my heavy ass dresser and bed, him more than me. He'd fallen asleep on my armchair with Noodles on his lap and must've moved himself down here. Anything not to give Dean a bad impression.

"Does it involved coffee?", He groaned, holding his head in his hands. I bet he had a raging headache. Noodles shifted on his leg but refused to let his warm sleeping spot go.

"Who said you're invited?", I snickered, crossing my arms over my chest, "You don't know where I'm going. What if it's women's business?",

"Then we can get coffee before your Gynaecologist appointment",

My lips curled, "Ralph Macchio is my gyno appointment",

His face distorted in disgust, "Really? The Karate Kid?", Something about the way he said karate brought out that southern accent of his. Karatay.

"He seems flexible",

"That's too much information", He sighed and politely plonked Noodles down beside him before rocking himself up from the couch.

"I'm serious, you're not coming with me", My brows raised, watching him come closer.

Troy laughed while flattening his hair, "Give it up, short round. I know when you're acting sketchy", He smiled at my front and ruffled the hair of my fringe, stuffing his wallet in his front pocket, "Now, after coffee, where are we going?",

"Hope Mental Hospital", I answered as I swept out of the door.

"Ha, nice one", He chuckled, shutting it behind him.

"It ain't a joke",

"Checking in?",

"Visiting",

"Family?",

"Agent Will Chambers", I responded lightly, stepping off the stairs, Troy stopped me with his grasp on my arm, his neck cocking as if he were wondering how I knew that name, "Why?",

I breathed out while unlocking my driver door, "Because I want to know how he survived the Demon",

"What aren't you telling me?",

So much...

"—I feel it, The demon, like I'm getting weaker and it's getting stronger", I pressed my hand into my chest, meeting those hazel eyes above me, "I feel it in here",

"How?",

"That's what I want to know",

He bit the inside of his lip before answering, "Let's go then, but I'm driving",

"You'd be lucky", I scoffed, "You're like a billboard on why you shouldn't drink right now",

"Oh, you thought it was a question? How sweet", He smiled, dangling my keys in his hand.

My eyes narrowed, "I'd watch out for undies in your car if I were you", stomping around to the passenger seat. "I need fuel too",

"Whose undies?",

"Just a really slutty preloved, lacy thong in the glovebox I think", I commented, shutting the door beside me.

"Sounds hot", He scoffed while turning over the engine.

"It won't be",

"You know some people have nice calming personalities and you're here just being a wretched goblin",

"Well your cologne smells like you've been embalmed for fifty years, did it come with a funeral plan? What is it? Essence of Mothball?",

He clutched his chest, "This cologne is 150 a bottle",

"Damn, they saw you coming", I rolled my eyes, watching the road pass us by.

"My Grandad wore this I'll have you know",

"Before or after the funeral?",

"See, Goblin behaviour",

"Damn, Goblins are smart, quick witted and devastatingly beautiful?", I gasped, shifting in my seat.

"Yeah, you wish", Troy scoffed in response, taking my dark purple aviators off the dash and donning them.

"Make yourself at home",

He turned to me with a smile. The fucker looked good in my glasses. Like a Navy pilot.

"You're buying me a pastry", I smiled sweetly in reply as we rolled up to the fuel bowser.

A black Camaro sat across from us. "Great", I huffed while stepping out of the passenger seat to pump the gas.

Troy barged past me as I reached for the nozzle, making a hissing sound. I watched him in awe as he pumped the gas instead.

"Geez, you call me a Goblin",

"Go inside and pick out your pastry", He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Sir. Any other orders, Sir?",

"Order me a cup of coffee, go on now",

"I'll order you a cup of panties",

His brows dipped and I grunted, "Shut up, it sounded funnier in my head", walking towards those squeaky automatic doors. It was always cold in here. Like freezing cold.

My hands dove into my jacket pockets as I made my way to the back of the gas station, "Get fucked", I murmured at the sight of William there with Kelsey. Waiting in line. As far apart as brother and sister. I'm sure that would change once they saw me.

It wasn't my day.

I lined up with a person between us, hoping they'd never see me. Or that they had the decency to pretend they didn't.

"Sierra Morningstar, I haven't seen you in years",

Get...fucked.

I turned to see my old Science teacher from when I first came to Hawkins.

"Mrs Glick", I spoke, smiling down at the grey haired woman. She retired last year

"You know were my favourite student out of the bunch",

"Ah, well there wasn't much competition",

She laughed a slow hearty chuckle, the pearls against her neck jingling as she did.

"What of you, Sierra? I expected you to have broken several hearts and taken the world in your hand by graduation",

"I'm off to go be a cop",

"No, that's wonderful, what field?",

"FBI", I lied.

"Wow, isn't that groovy. Are you close by?",

"San Francisco", I replied, taking a step forward while Billy ordered.

"You watch out for Earthquakes, remember what I taught you about the tectonic plates?",

"I didn't think about the earthquakes", I gasped lightly, "I'm on the beach",

"I'm sure you'll be fine", Mrs Glick spoke politely as the guy in front of me stepped forward.

I turned back around and realised I hadn't picked out anything. My eyes glancing over the shelves of pastries. So many choices.

"Next", The cashier called me forward.

"Hi, can I get two coffees, black and...", I skimmed the shelf again.

"You're holding up the line", Troy spoke in my ear, startling me out of my skin. My eyes narrowed on him as I punched his chest . He laughed through his nose and threw his arm over my shoulder.

"What are we getting?", He asked lightly.

What the fuck was he doing?

Trying to make William jealous?

I rolled my eyes and swiftly jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow to give it a rest.

"Cream donut, you want one?",

"I'll steal some of yours", He replied, clasping my shoulder tighter. Dick

"No, you'll just steal it", My sight glanced back to the server who looked ready to quit if I took any longer, "And two cream donuts, please", I smiled at the woman chewing gum. Her eyes rolling, "Coffee will be out in ten",

Troy took out his wallet and paid while I found a booth far away from William and Kelsey. On the other side of the seating area and down the back.

"Are you embarrassed by me or something?", Troy snickered as he slid in next to me.

"Give it a rest", I warned, "And sit over the other side",

"So hurtful, Sierra. Like a goblin", He sighed, opening the cream donuts with no coordination.

My eyes narrowed, "Are you still drunk?",

He scoffed, stuffing the donut in his mouth.

"Oh my god, Troy. Some table manners", I eyed the cream and icing sugar clinging to his cheek, "You can eat it in more than one bite",

He chewed and swallowed the donut before swiping my cheek with A line of strawberry jam.

I blinked slowly at his amused expression, "Buddy, I'll make you wear it",

"How are you going to reach me from down there? Short roun-",

A pea sized glob of cream splattered against his cheek. A warning.

He laughed against it in an unsuspecting way. "Hug and make up?",

"Touch me and die?", I countered.

"Come on now", He grasped my sleeve and pulled me forward on the bench. Motherfucker was strong, "Don't fight it", He said as the stench of whisky and sugar met my nose And my chest. Cream and jam squishing against my face under his embrace.

"You are still drunk", I deduced, taking his face in my palm as the other swept smooshed donut of his cheek.

"You...might be right", His brows furrowed as he grabbed a serviette and wiped my jaw. Hazel eyes clashing with mine. And I waited.

And waited,

"Dude, let me go", I laughed, glancing down to his arms that held me there against him,

"Right, sorry", But he didn't let me go.

"Sierra", Kelsey spoke with a coffee in her hand in that smug 'I took your man' voice she'd adopted lately.

Apparently we were acting like she wasn't pregnant.

Kelsey spoke while looking Troy up and down, "Who's this, your boyfriend?",

"Well I'll be, is this Kelsey?", He glanced to me with a smile then back to her, "Billy's Mom right?",

The server called our number and I attempted to stand but Troy grabbed my hand, "Don't get up, Darlin'. I got this", He smiled, as Kelsey spat back,

"Very funny",

"I'm awful sorry, are you his girl? Hand on my heart, he looks young not you",

Her brows furrowed and she almost said thank you.

"Don't be an asshole", Billy grunted weakly.

Troy looked between him and me with perplex as he stood, murmuring, "It's always the fugly ones", Under his breath. I watched Billy's nostril flare in a laugh, knowing all too well what came next.

But he let Troy pass him and grab our coffees that were in a cup tray. I stood as well, watching Troy place them down on the booth's table. He held out his hand for me and I took it if only to see what the hell he was doing. But nothing happened.

We walked past Billy and back to my car. "You should drive", Troy spoke as he put the coffees on the roof.

I agreed with him and swept back to the drivers side as Billy and Kelsey were getting in the Camaro.

"Gimme the keys", I spoke beside the bonnet, watching him feel his pockets.

"Behind you",

As I looked back he hauled me onto the hot bonnet, nearly threw me. My own horror became reflected back in his glasses.

"What the fuck—",

"Ease up now, I'm not gonna do what you think", He murmured, his hands hard at my hips. "But You could pretend I'm not plagued with disease",

"I don't know that you're not", I hissed close to his face, my arm draping his neck, the other against his collar so I could gesture, "This is petty. And stupid. It's not my business in life to make William jealous. So stop it before I tase you in the neck",

"It's fun though, ain't it?", His breath passed my cheek. Troy wasn't ever a guy I thought of as fun. Regimented and strict, sure. But he wouldn't be someone who'd be doing keg stands and letting loose at a party. He wasn't boring either.

He loved obscure things, like dungeons and dragons for one, the Lord Of The Rings books, Bull riding and Archery.

This, right now wasn't him.

"Troy", I laughed through my nostrils, trying to put this as delicately as possible "Do You really think this is how I'd act if you were my boyfriend?", My free hand motioned to the stillness between us like stunned fish.

"What? Is talking beyond you?",

I scoffed through my nostrils, snickering, "Buddy, If I'm on the hood of a car with a guy, we ain't talking",

His brows knitted together in disgust, "What are you? An animal?",

My neck cocked in thought. He had a point.

"Yeah, you do seem like a no lights, clothes on, Vanilla missionary type of guy",

Oh why did I say that?

That was demented.

He blinked extremely slow, his brows lowering and raising a few times. I spoke to fill the extremely uncomfortable silence.

"Unless that's what you're offering, give it a fucking rest, You're not tricking anyone, We look like brother and s—",

I shut right the hell up as his mouth met mine. Everything within my core going molten as he pulled me into himself in a competitive, shutting me up, kiss.

His hand fell against my jaw and neck. That signet ring cold on my skin.

Goosebumps swarmed every part of my body like freezing water being thrown on me. Breathless until I sank into it. My hand curling at his collar.

It was Troy fucking Passmore. Ugh.

And...What the hell were we doing?!

"Troy", I spoke with disorientation against his mouth in place of slapping it.

"Uh huh?", He swallowed, wiping remnant of jam from my cheek as he parted.

"That was like kissing my Grandma", I lied, somewhere before or during our kiss that Camaro had left. I wasn't sure.

We both knew that was a lie.

"Like a slimy catfish", He replied hoarsely before nodding and handing me my keys, "Agent Morningstar",

"Agent Passmore", I near whispered as my boots met the ground, taking my keys.

—————-

Troy fell asleep in the car, leaving me to ponder in the silence.

What. The. Fuck.

What the fuck?!

We had a perfectly platonic night. We laughed, drank and moved furniture. I felt at ease to have him as my friend. At peace. Happy that we could finally have a civil conversation together.

Then he had to ruin it by kissing me.

Why'd he do that?

Goddamn it.

...Why was it so hot?

Ugh. I was demented.

Fucking demented.

I couldn't go there again with him. It hurt too much the first time and that was just a crush.

He didn't like me.

He was just making Billy jealous.

I hated that. He was drunk and still reeling off my Vanilla sex remark. I shouldn't have said it. It crossed a line.

I thought about that while waiting for him to wake up, a hot coffee in my hand as I did the crossword in the back of the newspaper against my steering wheel. The radio humming quietly.

Abba.

My hand turned the volume dial up.

He woke with a jump, taking his face off the door frame as I handed him a coffee, my eyes on the crossword. Turning down the radio again.

"You're not gonna try to kiss me again are you?", I teased and scribbled at the same time.

He exhaled a long groan and took the cup, "What?", He blinked while drinking.

"I was flattered but you've gotta choose your moments, Passmore. A gas station is just trashy",

"Uh huh", Troy murmured, still half asleep, his hand wiped over his face until it stilled. Perhaps it was realisation slamming into him. I hope it was.

I smiled and took another sip of my coffee, scribbling another word.

"Fuck", He drawled in his soft southern accent, "I'm so sorry",

I knew what that sorry meant. Don't tell Dean. Don't tarnish that perfect soldier facade Troy had going. He expected lewd behaviour from me but not Troy. Never Troy. Imagine if Dad saw him as human. It would be devastating to him.

"Coffee wasn't that expensive", I sighed, pursing my lips to think of a thirteen-letter word for 'Not suitable for work'.

"Inappropriate", I spoke out loud.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean—",

"6 down, Inappropriate", I gestured to my paper.

"Sierra",

"Relax, we all know you do things you regret when you're drunk. But if you ever do THAT again not even Lucifer will be able to find your body", I thought out loud while opening my door.

"Got it", He followed in silence, waiting for me to lock the door. We walked into the hospital without a word until we made it to the front desk and a woman led us down to a padded room.

William Chambers sat in the corner holding his knees to his chest.

"You have ten minutes", The nurse spoke before closing the door behind us.

"Agent Chambers", I spoke, keeping my distance.

The man twitched at the word, "802350, responding", He replied once then over and over.

I met Troy's wide eyed stare.

"802350, tell me about the demon", I spoke again, "Tell me how you survived",

"Survived?", His neck cocked to me, brown eye unblinking, "I did not survive. I died in Hawkins. I died when the demon took my body. When I killed my friends. Alive but dead",

"Harrelson saved you. How?",

"How? Another vessel entered Hawkins. A more suitable one. September 16th 1982",

My lips pressed together as he spoke again, "Some things it can foresee. Premonitions from its vessels. Some things it can't. 'Hello Agent Morningstar'. Red rolling, ring, William, fountain, Death",

"How do I stop it?",

"Run", He snapped his neck, "Run, run, run through the bullets and the dark. Find the ring, engrave the bullet, kill William",

"He's cracked, Sierra", Troy intervened, "Look at him",

Will began to sing, "You can checkout anytime but you can never leave...Welcome to the Hotel California. Such a lovely place. Such a lovely face", His sight twisted to me, a chill running down my spine, speaking again, "Red flashing round and around. Bang", He clutched his chest, throwing himself into the wall while pointing to Troy, "He kills the girl",

"That's enough", Troy spoke louder.

"Dead. Dead. Dead", Will began to laugh, "Female Agents. Dead. Sierra Morningstar. Dead. Prue Hallows. Dead. Doris Johnson. Dead. Amanda House. Andrea Redfield. Gone. Gone. Gone",

I felt nothing.

When someone tells you you're going to die you expect to feel something.

But I was numb.

"How do I kill it?", I asked lightly, watching Troy stiffen beside me.

"Know the name. Find the sigil. Something that has more power in our realm than its own. 'Let us live, since we must die' ",

I nodded to myself, swallowing.

The name...I tried for weeks and came up with nothing. There had to be another way to defeat it...there had to.

"William", I said, catching his brown eyes, "I'm sorry this happened to you",

"As am I, Agent Morningstar",

"I'll come back to see you when it's dead",

"Don't expect to",

I nodded to myself before we stepped out of that padded room. The door closing softly behind us.

"He's nuts, kid", Troy tried to reason as we walked.

"No. Harrelson said those same things to me when the Demon possessed him. Face it Hobgoblin, I ain't leaving Hawkins alive", I swallowed, taking my keys from my pocket.

"Sierra", He started to speak but couldn't find the words, his sight meeting the laminate floor as we stepped out into the lobby.

"Come on, someone has to say it", I replied, opening the front door for him.

"You don't know", He sighed, stepping out onto the asphalt of the carpark.

"Troy, I've got a demon on my ass and lung cancer. I'm fucked", I laughed dryly as his eyes widened, turning around to me.

He waited for me to be joking. Lines appearing between his eyes that softened. His neck tilting slightly. The most solemn expression I'd ever seen from him.

"W—What?", He blinked rapidly.

"Sucks to be me", I said, continuing to the car.

He followed silently until we were in the cab. Then he was just staring at me.

"A photo will last longer", I warned as I turned over the engine.

"Does Dean know?",

"Yah",

"Right", He nodded, scrubbing his hand against his chin.

"You're being weird, Troy",

"I know, I just—Don't know what to say to that",

"You say, Sierra, you are the most beautiful and stunning creature I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Here's five million dollars", I taunted while turning back onto the road.

He didn't say anything but kept staring. Mourning without me being dead yet.

"Seriously, Troy, I'll tase you in the nuts if you don't stop with that bullshit",

His mouth opened and closed a few times before he uttered, "...What's it going to take for you to forgive me for your birthday? I'll do it",

"Some things aren't forgivable",

"I fucked up, I'm sorry",

"Yeah, you only became sorry when you had to work with me. Nearly Two years after the fact.",

"I fucked over a lot of people during that time, Sierra but I'm trying to fix it",

"You can't fucking fix it, Troy. It's broken beyond repair",

"So you'll just hate me?",

"I don't hate you. But I'm not your friend",

————-

Three weeks passed between the death of Agent Grey and me speaking to Billy again. Now that school was ending he wasn't there much. Maybe a day out of five. Just enough to meet minimum attendance.

He was still in every nook of my house. No matter how much I tried to ignore it. No matter how many times I washed my bed linen, the scent of him remained. He remained. Just haunting me.

And since I wasn't getting over him anytime soon leaving Hawkins was more a blessing in disguise than anything.

Packing up my bedroom was not. But it was done.

Now, aside from my cat, everything I owned was in four suitcases. And since my furniture was staying I left on my bedside table a note for Billy. Next to it was one of his earrings I found in a pillowcase, his mixed tape, lighter and that glitter filled necklace I'd worn to Helton's asylum. I'd rather he'd find it after I'd gone. Everyone else I'd already said my goodbyes to.

The cliché farewell party was thrown in the few weeks before graduation. The last time we'd all see each other again. Dean Hasting had offered to host it but I managed to convince Steve to be the one who housed all our drunken school mates. By then everyone and I mean everyone had moved on from mine and Billy's breakup. Sarah Pearson's botched nose job was this week's gossip. And I was glad for it.

I'd had a second wind with our demon situation.

Ultraviolet lights.

Steve's place was littered with full sized garden lamps. And if we couldn't stop this party being thrown in the dark then we'd take the dark away. And light it up like a football field to the Demon. Any demon would burn beneath them. But to us they'd look like purple mood lights. Perfect for a party. Because I wasn't losing anyone else in this town. Anyone.

We'd have three Agents at the gathering. Prue, Troy and I. Each of us would be on the look out for one of those demons. Equipped with our own UV flashlights. Ready for anything.

Working with Troy again Kind of took my mind off the whole Billy situation. He always tried to make me laugh or just serenade me with memories from when I was a ten year old dork. It helped. A lot. Then there was Steve who just looked at me with the saddest eyes in the world and pretty much treated me like a glass vase. Even when we were installing the lights. He was bringing me drinks and food and at some point he found me a squirrel to pet because he knew I liked cats, and it was the closest thing he had to one. Prue just hugged me a lot, and held my hair back when I was sick and coughing up blood again.

Dad didn't say much, I suppose he was just glad he didn't have to shoot this boyfriend.

And Billy, I didn't see him anymore. Not after our relapse. I'd changed parking spots with Prue and kept my head low in the halls. It had worked fine so far.

I'm sure time would heal me. It just was too fresh to tell right now.

I thought constantly of those words Harrelson had uttered to me.

Vivamus Quoniam Morimur

Let us Live, Since we must die.

And that's what this party was about. Because this wasn't just the last time I'd see my classmates. It might've been the last time I saw Prue or Troy too. Or the last time they saw me...All I knew is that it was easy to die in this town. Staying alive was much harder.

What better way to commemorate my last job in Hawkins.

It was bittersweet in that way.

I had wanted to leave so badly only a few months ago, now I found myself weeping at the thought. I found myself fixing my makeup for the third time.

"Don't cry", I begged myself, watching that black tear dribble down my cheek. But I simply wiped it away with a moist towelette. Reapplying my foundation and glittery blush on my cheeks.

I was going to be sparkly tonight. Purple shimmery shadow painted my eyelids with black eyeliner along the top and bottom lid. Like a cat's eye. I paired it with a bold dark purple lip that looked black in the night. And some more rouge blush.

The hair...I had a bit of a moment and hacked a fair bit off with the kitchen scissors. It was still long, but just past my boobs now. I'd curled it tonight. Made it big but not like a lion's mane . It just had more volume that usual. I liked it. Looked really rock and roll.

My shirt was just a leather look halter neck that laced at the front. I paired with my fringe tasselled jacket And leather pentagram flares...It was a lot of leather. But I felt more like myself in this.

Paired with my platform boots I looked really evil.

"You ready to go Morticia?", Dad asked from my doorway.

"Yeah", I nodded, spritzing on some perfume before I got up from my table.

It was five O'clock in the afternoon by the time I arrived at Steve's. The party, being on a Saturday started at three but I figured I wanted to be just a little late. To avoid certain people. At this stage Billy was probably drunk and lying down somewhere. Or on top of someone...

"You call me if anything happens, okay, Babygirl?", Dad turned to me as we sat in Steve's driveway with the engine running. "I'm only gonna be a town over for two days. I left the number of the hotel on the office desk.",

"Yeah, Dad. You made me memorise it. I'll call you if I need to", I nodded briskly, not really listening. He gave me a soft kiss on the forehead before I got out. "You look badass, Kiddo",

"Thanks, Dad", I sighed, closing the door before I walked around the back of Steve's house to the huge yard where all the sound was coming from. Every fibre within me dreaded seeing Billy again. Dreaded the questions about our break up. But as I approached the side gate a familiar voice stopped me. "You look lost", Stacy Messner, motioned her cigarette towards me. Her words that were usually a cruel taunt somehow lost their sting. It was strange not to see her in a skirt or dress. But behold she stood there in front of me in jeans and a tight zip front top. Leaning against the fence panelling. I looked at her but didn't say anything as I took another step. "I'm sorry.", She dared to add as my shoulder brushed hers.

"What for?", I bit, glaring into her dark eyes.

"For that face you've had at school for the past few weeks", She took a drag of her smoke, blowing the cloud of grey over her shoulder. "Must've really loved him",

"Don't act like you care", I snarled, "It doesn't work with me",

"I've always cared, Sierra. You just couldn't see that", Stacy exhaled, lightly brushing my cheek with the back of her hand.

"Are you high?",

"I'm still sorry", She shrugged, turning on her heel.

"Okay...", I frowned, watching her walk away.

I had to stop as I walked through the back gate. Fucking hell there was a lot of people. In the pool. By the bar. On the grass. On the balcony.

But where were mine?

The whole property was outline in woodlands with about two acres of backyard and a front that was mostly just driveway and concrete, barring the hedges to seperate the neighbours.

I walked through the sea of people, most were drunk or drinking. Prue was probably inside where most the people weren't. So I darted across the grassy yard to the stairs on the side of the house. Only to be greeted by Tommy coming down the steps. His long black hair cascading down his shoulders.

"It's the book burglar", He spoke on his decent. He'd spruced up the rock n roll look with a black button up and matching vest with a draping chain at the breast. All complimented by black jeans and uncharacteristically shiny boots.

"Holy shit, Tommy Lee. Did your rich husband just hit the bricks?", I exhaled a low whistle as I met him halfway up the staircase, shaking the chain at his breast.

"I figure I better go big", He smiled, looking me up and down. "By the looks, so did you",

"Well I'm leaving Hawkins in a four weeks, what's your excuse?", I snickered, glancing into those bottle green eyes.

"Ugh, and here I thought you were just trying to spite your ex-boyfriend.", He leaned in closer, whispering, "Which is working, I'm scared to walk back down now he's giving me daggers",

I shook my head, speaking "Just tell him you want to settle down and you'll see a smoke outline of where he used to be",

Tommy snorted at the words, holding his hand against his mouth, "What if that doesn't work, I'm not ready for marriage, Sierra?",

"Then you two will be perfect for each other", I commented, tapping the silver button on his vest before I passed him by. Continuing up those stairs.

Prue was in the Kitchen when I swept through the sliding doors.

"Sierra!", She called, sitting cross legged on the counter top.

"Uh, Hi", I narrowed my eyes, looking at her and Steve under the kitchen light. "What've you two been up to?", I covered my lips to hide my smirk. They were never going to live this down.

"Talking shit", Prue replied quickly in her short sparkly dress. Deep blue lipstick painting her mouth.

"Really? About who?",

Steve was awfully quiet beside her with his arms crossed against himself. I stepped in front of him and wiped away the blue lipstick from the side of his mouth.

"Blue isn't really your shade", I smirked, watching both of them just freeze.

"Okay, you caught us, Steve's a cross dresser", Prue responded, slipping off the counter. Chunky boots catching her fall. Her outfit was cute and sparkled under the lights. A knee length navy dress that flared out at her hips.

"Yup", Steve nodded hesitantly, looking between me and her,

"Really? From the looks it kinda seemed like you two had been making out", I smirked, taking an empty cup for the punch.

"Ew, no. That's gross", Prue nudged him with her arm. Urging him to say something. Just then Troy swept into the room in dark jeans and a deep emerald button up with long sleeves. "Have these two stopped making out yet?", He questioned. I laughed in response, motioning to them with my cup, "You're both adults",

"Uh—Are you sure you should be drinking?", Prue questioned, "With the Meds?",

"Little bit won't hurt me", I sighed, filling the cup with that red liquid that looked nearly toxic.

"O—Okay", She murmured, holding her wrist in her hand.

"So why are we all up here?", I asked, knowing they were all bad liars. "The Kitchen seems a little cramped.",

"I mean it's less people.", Steve lied.

"Not as much noise,", Prue motioned to the balcony.

"I like the atmosphere in here", Troy added, folding his arms over his chest, nearly forcing the buttons on his shirt to burst.

"Hmm. Kinda feels like you're avoiding someone.", I took a swig of my drink. Did they think I was stupid?

"No. I mean. I know where all the cool hang out points are in my house", Steve scoffed weakly, crossing his arms. "And this Kitchen is it",

"Oh? What's so great about it?",

"I mean just look at the sky light.", Steve fumbled.

"I like it's atmosphere", Troy droned, looking away from me.

"Pretty light", Prue continued weakly, gesturing to the square above us.

"What's HE doing?", I sighed,

"Seven minutes in heaven", Prue answered truthfully. I raised my brow.

"We're not on bad terms you know?",

"Uh—Yeah but he's still your Ex", She murmured gently, "You guys were really serious, and--"

"We didn't want you to have to witness anything...gross", Steve added.

"He can fuck who he wants and then himself afterwards", I chuckled in to my cup. Weaponizing that sadness into anger was the only way I knew to cope at this party. I was always really good at that. That and the buzz of alcohol should do it.

"Good to see you're not bitter", Troy shook his head of dark hair. Hazel eyes sinking in to me.

"Fuck him",

"Uh--Well, since you're already dressed to kill, let's go", Prue grabbed me by the hand, stopping mid thought as she peered towards Troy. "On second thought",

I watched her drape his arm around my shoulder, his eyes rolling back into his skull.

"Now we walk", She smiled at me in that tipsy sort of way, clasping onto Steve. There was a slight limp in her gait from her injury but nothing really noticeable.

I looked up to Troy and just shrugged, following behind her with him by my side.

"How are you doing, Kid?", He question as we walked out of the sliding doors. His grip tightening around my shoulder.

"My Dad is the only one who calls me Kid.", I looked at him, carefully taking that first step. "And you're a good sixteen years his junior",

"I can call you Goblin", He murmured close to my ear.

"Then I could call you Batman underwear", I replied, holding on to the rail.

"Could you shorten it to just Batman?", Troy smiled that straight toothed grin, hugging me sidewards down those steps.

Uh, I hated that.

"God, you guys are miserable at hiding your pity. You might as well just wrap me in a fucking blanket", I groaned against that tightness at my waist.

"We worry about you, Si", He exhaled, looking around that grassy yard with his head on a swivel.

"Well you can stop, I'm a big girl", I exhaled, taking that last step carefully.

"You're pretty much my younger sister, I'm never going to stop worrying about you", Troy raised his brow, messing my hair up with his fingers before he let me go.

"Ooof, rejected", Tommy snickered from beside the staircase. Smoke escaped through his nostrils in his thorough roasting of me.

"Sorry, I just saw your outfit again", I laughed, shaking my head. "Vampire in the daylight",

Tommy chuckled, handing me his lit cigarette. I looked at it for a fleeting moment but took it. And as I propped myself next to him beside the steps Prue gave me a very seedy look, dragging Troy away by his sleeve. The bitter air I breathed in escaping through my mouth and nostrils. I savoured the taste. Speaking finally when I handed him back the cigarette. "I like your chain",

"Beats the padlock right?",

"Oh yeah", I glanced up to those bottle green eyes that were always sort of filled with wonderment. Childishness. And I wondered how this tall, handsome, skinny kid spawned from little Thomas Anderson.

His face was more gaunt now and long. With a very skinny and pointed nose. His teeth always sticking out from between thin lips. Like me he had that pale skin and dark hair. Albeit his hair was nicer. Shinier and better kept.

"You're staring, Sierra", He smirked, pretending to be flushed by the ordeal.

"I'm wondering where little Tommy Anderson went",

"Same place as little Sierra Morningstar",

"Tennessee?", I gasped, holding my chest.

Tommy laughed that low chuckle and tossed his arm over my shoulder. "I want you to meet the boys.",

"The ones who worship me?", I rolled my eyes, feeling his fingers sweep through my hair.

"From afar", He nodded, leading me towards a gathering of Goths seated around a fire pit. These were all boys I knew. Tommy's cousin was there, Vince, Riley, Dustin, Peter, Ben, Kenny. Most of them I had classes with. I'd spoken to. While they weren't gothic in the typical sense, they sure did like the black and the tattoos. The majority had more of Tommy's rock and roll style.

"Hmm, so these are the ones who allegedly worship me?", I spoke with a sneering smirk, tearing off my jacket as I sat between Tommy and his cousin. Steve's parents had these ugly limestone blocks lining the square pit. The corner really bit into my ass.

"Only the best for Satan's best soldier", Tommy snickered with his hands folded over one another.

"I mean I always appreciate adoration but I'm not a great role model", I shrugged, earning Tommy's double take. "Oh, I knew that was a tattoo", He murmured touching the hard line of my collarbone. "I thought your skin was just really fucked up...But Uh—Since when have you had this?", Green eyes narrowed on the fresh ink on my shoulder. My sideward facing bust of a skeleton. That took up half my upper arm.

I didn't really have an intention of getting another tattoo until I saw the stencil. In short it was a skeleton from the neck upwards. It's gaze casting towards the ground, almost sad. But the rest of it flourished with flowers and vines. With red roses in its eyes. Something about it sort of resonated.

"That one's fresh", I breathed, rubbing the itchy flesh.

"Can you—Just not be so hot?", Tommy held his chest dramatically, "For like one second?",

"I'm just existing", I held my hands up in surrender.

"That's what makes it so depressing", Tommy's cousin added, taking a swig from his beer.

"You wanna hear something depressing?", I leaned forward, clasping my hands together. There was no way they thought I was this Satanic Goddess.

"By all means", Tommy gestured to me.

I smirked as I stood from my place. My jacket draping over my arms. "I used to do line dancing.",

"No way, so did I", Tommy snorted, smoke escaping his nostrils.

"You're just saying that",

"Bobby-Jo's Tavern in Hadley, every Friday night.", He challenged.

"I have medals",

"I actually entered the Olympics for line dancing and won", He snickered.

"Only for America? That's sweet. I won the world championship",

"I lifted fat Amy",

"Well I wrote 'When will I be loved?',"

"Shit, they made you guys do that one too?", Tommy giggled.

"Only for couples", I shrugged. "Later Tommy Lee",

"Catch you on the Dance floor, Si.",

"The Fuck you will", I smacked his arm to let him down softly. "Besides there's no dance floor",

"We've got concrete", He motioned to the concrete pad beneath us.

"There's no music.", I cocked my brow, escaping narrowly before the man whipped out a goddamn boom box.

Tonight was about reconnaissance. Moving around.

I smirked to myself as I walked towards the rear of the party. My cup sloshing in my hand. A long sip drained the rest of that pink liquid and I tossed it in the trash can next to the gate.

When I was alone the thought really sank in. I hadn't seen Billy yet. Maybe he'd gone home. People were already pretty drunk in this place.

I don't know why but I expected him to come up to me. Even if I was too much of a coward to do the same.

"You kind of look like you're avoiding someone", Steve Harrington sighed, nudging my arm. "I mean if you were any further down the backyard you'd be at your house",

"I'm running surveillance, making sure everything is going to plan", I murmured, looking over the woodlands behind us.

"Yeah right", He scoffed, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his grey jacket.

"So what if I am?",

"He doesn't get to dump you and run you out of town", Steve shook his head, "I really need you to be pissed at him, Sierra. Because I am. And I just—He needs to see that you're a bad ass. That you won't take his shit",

"'Doesn't matter",

"Yes. It does. You're so much more attractive than he is, Sierra. And he's acting like you lost him. He's acting like you were the problem.",

"What's he saying?", I asked, my blood running cold.

"Something about piercings and the woods...I didn't really stick around",

That fucking prick. That motherfucker. I felt my chest drop.

"What?",

"Apparently you have a Blue Öyster Cult tattoo on your ass",

My head angled towards Steve very slowly, "Let's go say hi",

"That's what I'm talking about", He fist pumped the air. "He's loitering around the barbecue deck.",

"Lead the way", I growled, my entire body alight and trembling. I couldn't fucking believe it. Why would he tell anyone that?

Was he trying to hurt me?

Was that it?

I follow Steve through the yard and around the side of the house. My thick boots thumping against the wooden deck. And behold, my beloved Ex-Boyfriend, Ex-Fiancé, sat around the square lounge with his legs spread far enough apart to make me question just where he found his jeans. Mine tore just getting out of the car.

The sight of him made my jaw clench. Thinking about all those intimate details of our relationship he'd plastered on the walls. I didn't understand why.

If anyone should be pissed it should be me.

I was the one who got dumped.

Not him.

The closer I got to that wicker outdoor lounge the more people I recognised. Like Stacy, Aubrey and Kelsey. Sam was there too and Dean. Bathed in purple light from the long bulb above them. UV rays to detect a demon. But none of them were hissing. Or burning alive.

I saw Billy before he saw me. But when he did his eyes sort of hung there and I'm sure he knew why I was here. Why my steps ate the fucking ground beneath them. I was just so fucking pissed off. I could barely form words.

"I think somebody is in trouble", Kelsey commented, snickering between Aubrey.

"Sierra—Hi", Sam started to say as I brushed him by. Moving him with my glare.

He wasn't who I wanted. And as I reached that smug motherfucker at the end of the lounge I leaned into him with my knee on his crotch and his chin between my thumb and index finger. Nails pressing gently into his skin. He grunted against it, green eyes flickering up to me. Probably wondering why.

"You keep my fucking name out of your mouth", I tilted my neck, smiling. "You understand, Billy?", I repositioned my fingers against his throat, feeling him wince beneath it, "Or all sorts of secrets with come flooding out of mine and that's just not the sort of thing I wanted in my mouth tonight", I tapped his chin with my knuckle. And when I say this man looked like he could've thrown me through a wall...It would be wrong. He didn't react to it. Not in any normal way. But just watched me. And I knew what that look meant, the man not even flinching as I dislodged my knee and took a step back.

"Ladies", I tilted my chin towards the women who sat horrified. All but Stacy who just grinned ear to ear. Snickering.

"This is why you don't fuck Satanists", Dean commented, earning the jab Sam gave him to his ribs.

I turned on my heel with one final glare to my Ex and re-joined the party. "That was evil", Steve laughed, patting my back while we made our way across the yard. "You were terrifying.",

"Yeah, it felt great", I lied, my limbs still quivering. "I—Uh, think I'm going to duck to the kitchen. I need some water",

"Do you want me to come with you?", Steve asked, those brown eyes softening at me.

"No. I'll be right back. Stay. Enjoy the party", I began to dart back to those stairs before he could answer. The loud music causing static in my ears. And each step I took up to the kitchen weighed a thousand pounds.

There weren't too many people here now. The sun had almost disappeared so all of my drunk school mates were outside around the fire. Or in the pool. But when I strode into the slate floored kitchen it was just me and Sam Wethers.

I gave her a slight nod and she returned the gesture.

Water. I needed water.

I took a red cup from beside the punch bowl and filled it under the sink. Sculling the whole thing.

"Fuck", I breathed, my chest just on fire.

Everything was just falling apart spectacularly. I was falling apart.

And as I hoisted myself up onto the kitchen counter I felt that dull ache at the back of my throat. Holding my head in my hands.

Billy was doing all those things he swore he wouldn't. And I didn't understand why. Why he'd need to drag me through the mud when he broke up with me. When he was the one who couldn't be in a relationship. He couldn't be tied down. Not me.

It hurt too much to breathe. To think.

I guess I thought he'd be here until I left. Like he told me he would. What an idiot I was.

Now that he was gone I thought of that day outside the haunted castle when he put that ring on my finger. When he wanted to be something more. I thought of it so often...The way he smiled as he said the words.

My bed still smelt of his cologne. My car. My clothes.

Every speck of silver glitter that was in my washing machine reminded me of us. And that really fucking sucked.

I watched Stacy Messner waltz through the sliding doors amidst my thought.

"Get out", She growled towards Sam. And she did.

What was this? Round three of trying to kill me?

Stacy locked the sliding door and pulled the curtains closed above the sink, darting towards the main entrance to lock that one too.

I slid off the kitchen counter in my confusion. Every inking of my being just tired. "You want a knife?", I asked softly, playing with the lip of my cup. Her brows furrowed at me. "Billy said you're leaving",

"Yup", I'm not sure what she wanted from that. She nodded with the words. Her fake nails tapping against the stool across from me. Her lips pursed in her thought. Parting to speak. "You know, you only noticed me when I started dating him",

My eyes narrowed on her, "I didn't really wanted to speak to you after you hit me with a crowbar",

"Yeah...It's just...When you said you'd tell I got scared. My Dad would disown me for something like that and without him I can say goodbye to everything I own", She exhaled just above a whisper, her eyes settling on the stool cushion.

"How'd that work out for you? You got arrested instead", I bit, in no mood to talk to her.

"I'd take that over him finding out. I'd wear that",

"Why are you here? Stacy?", I finally snapped, "I'm not in the greatest place right now, I don't have the energy to fight you. So take a knife or leave me alone.",

Brown eyes drifted up to me, blinking quickly through long eyelashes. I'd never seen her look so squirrelly. So uncomfortable. Maybe she wasn't high but she was drunk or something.

"We've spent the last two years at each other's throats. Fighting. And In that time We've said some pretty horrible things to each other...",

"That's what we do", I exhaled,

"My therapist thinks there's something more to it than that",

"You're a psycho?", I suggested,

"I never wanted Billy Hargrove, Sierra", She confessed, swallowing.

"I know, you dumped him", I spoke slowly.

"He used to get under your skin, And I knew that", Stacy explained further. "I mean he's such a douchebag, I didn't expect you to fall in love with him",

"What are you trying to say?", I was getting frustrated now. And as she took a step forward I felt my body stiffen. Her breath rebounding off my cheek, "I didn't want him", She murmured, blinking once, "I wanted you...", And with those whispered words she pressed a featherlight kiss against my lips. I stood there frozen even as she unlocked those doors. "Goodbye, Sierra", Stacy murmured before disappearing out of the kitchen.

What the fuck?

I was expecting anything but that...literally anything.

It took a moment for my mind to catch up from it.

It was hard to believe Stacy Messner had wanted me when I had thought she'd try to take Billy back. When I'd been paranoid. And possessive.

But right then I needed to cough. My whole chest was tight and aching. I held my hand over my lips as that violent cough rattled through my lungs. All too surprised when a glob of blood splattered on my palm.

"Fuck", I groaned, moving around to the sink. That taste of blood making my stomach lurch. Water swept away that stain of crimson, all before another cough rattled through me and another stream of blood trickled from my lips. The doctors said this was pretty standard. It didn't really help when I had blood coming from my lungs in globs and splatters.

I leant over the sink and let it cascade from my mouth as the water swept streams of crimson down the drain. That taste was fucking disgusting. And while I spat out that last remaining dribble I made sure there wasn't any more blood in the sink. Wiping head to toe with a bit paper towel before I turned off the tap. Only to cough into the wet towel in my hand, more crimson splattering it's surface.

"Shit", I murmured softly, throwing the towel into the bin. Some of it got onto the floor, so I wiped that up too. A figure appearing in the doorway as I tossed that last bit in the bin.

"Sierra", Billy's annoyed voice greeted me. Like I was the last person he wanted to see.

"Dickhead", I smirked in return, watching his eyes roll. He made a straight line to the punch bowl and poured three cups. All the while I hung out at the sink. Waiting to see if I'd cough again. It probably looked really suspicious. Really seedy. I wanted to wait for him to leave before I swished some water around in my mouth and spat it in the sink.

Weakness wasn't exactly something I wanted to show him right now. Blood was a bit gross to see too.

"How's life?", Billy snickered from the punch bowl.

"Don't fill the silence", I closed my eyes to speak, turning towards the window. "Just fuck off",

"So hateful, Sierra", He tsked, placing a cup down beside me. "You certainly weren't that hateful three weeks ago when you had one hand down my pants",

Alcohol.

Really?

He knew It didn't mix with my meds. He was just being an asshole. "I didn't appreciate you accusing me of speaking shit about you, either",

"Then why does Steve know I have an ass tattoo?",

"What you do in your spare time is your own business", Billy shrugged.

"Fuck off", I shook my head, not looking at him to speak. He was disgusting. Everything he said was just spiteful and cruel.

Please just fuck off. I begged, feeling my chest tingle.

"I think I'll stay",

"Why don't you fuck off instead?", I choked out, every fibre on my throat on fire.

"Hmm. I've got nothing better to do", He murmured, taking a seat at the kitchen bench behind me. "Now, I haven't been speaking shit about anyone, Sierra. Your name hasn't been in my mouth at all actually. So what have I supposedly done?"

"You're a fucking liar",

"Any word I've spread is only going to help your reputation, you're welcome",

"So you were lying?"

"I'm only human. Besides I thought it'd be an honour to be a finalist in the 'Who gave the best head' category. Shelby has a really long tongue though and no gag reflex",

Who was this person? This asshole who sneered these disgusting things at me. I felt heat blossom in my cheeks. But I didn't respond to him. I didn't let him see that I was ready to break down.

Would he be happy if I did?

"Why don't you fuck off and annoy her then?", I bit after a while, tossing my sight back to him.

"You ever think maybe one of the boys saw your ass tattoo at Sam's pool party. Ever think maybe Prue ran her mouth?", He responded, tapping the side of his cup.

"You should go ask them.", I urged, fighting a losing battle with the itch in my throat. "And while you're there maybe you can go fuck yourself",

"You're acting like a real bitch tonight, I must've really fucked you up",

"Go Away",

"No. And you know what it was nice to see my jacket on the front page of the newspaper. Getting a little attention seeking now aren't we?",

"Trust me, wearing that ugly fucking thing wasn't my choice, I got cut and needed something to bleed on, they decided that jacket was the least valuable thing in my car.", I snapped back, watching his tongue scrape his teeth.

"Yeah 'Two Hawkins Teens Hospitalised After Falling Through Rotten Floorboards At The Old Pool' was pretty funny",

"Oh, I'm glad you think so", I commented dryly, each word he spoke just grinding on my nerves.

Fuck it.

I coughed over the sink again, my hand covering my mouth. This one was worse. More bloody. But that usually meant the end of it. For a few days anyways. And as I washed it down the sink I felt green eyes on me. Cleaning every splotch of red before I downed that entire cup of alcohol sitting beside me. Ridding that terrible fucking taste from my mouth.

"That Pneumonia really bites doesn't it? It's made you so boring",

I turned to him with just the most tired smiled I had, "It's not Pneumonia. It's cancer", I spoke plainly, watching his lips press together.

"So this is where you escaped to", Kelsey stumbled into the kitchen in her handkerchief top and frayed denim shorts. Her ratty bleached hair half fallen from its ponytail. I watched her mount Billy's lap like he was fucking Santa clause. He handed her that cup of punch he had spare but she didn't take it. "Wanna get out of here?", She whispered loudly in his ear.

"Yes. Yes I do", I smiled to hide my pain, my grief. Exiting the kitchen like it was on fire.

Why was that easier to tell him than when we were together? I guess I didn't have to worry about him being upset. About hurting him.

Ugh. I had to have surgery. To cut it out. While I was still early on. The idea kinda made my head spin. Getting cut open. The thought was yucky. A knife sliding through my flesh. Made my skin crawl.

I think this was it for me. I was gonna go.

Prue and Troy were still here.

I—Just didn't fancy seeing the guy I thought I was gonna marry whore his way through the party. And as I walked down those steps I felt my stomach writhing. The feeling made me want to throw up.

"Fuck", I murmured to myself, running in to Prue around the side of the house.

"Having fun?", She asked, bouncing in her step. I could see she was. She was smiling and happy. I rubbed my lips together for a second before plastering on that fake smile. "Yeah"

"I knew you would. Come on, they're setting up the boom box for dancing", She intertwined our fingers, and urged me back towards the rear of the house. "I really like the new tattoo too. Kinda wish I'd gotten mine bigger", She gingerly traced the lines on my shoulder. Prue was the bad influence who'd dragged me in to the tattoo parlour in the first place. She thought bat wings on her pelvic region was a hilarious idea. Not Angel or Devil wings. Crusty old bat wings. I guess that was the joke.

I mean I laughed.

She was so weird.

"You're gonna give men the wrong idea with the bat wings", I snickered, nudging her softly.

"I live to wreak havoc", She smiled that wide grin. I almost forgot how short she was until I walked beside her like I did now. Even in her chunky boots.

"Speaking of, since when were you and Steve a thing?", I asked that question that had hung on my mind. She hesitated before answering.

"Since You flat lined while we were in the waiting room and he was the only one to comfort me.",

"Go on", I pressed, wondering how I'd missed this.

"I know he's young and dumb but he's just the sweetest guy", She explained,

"I don't care about that, I want the dirty details.", I snickered, leading her around the perimeter of the property. Finally, my turn to pester her.

"It started with the hospital visits. Then running into him at your house. I tried to keep it casual. But...After the Elvira ensemble I couldn't shake him. He's a boob man.",

"And?", I smirked, darting around a stump in the ground.

"And?",

"Where'd you do it?",

I saw her cheeks flush red, "When you made me sneak into the school the other week to look for clues on Harrelson's death. There was so much built up tension between us and You know I'm a wimp...",

"Okay, it's dark and spooky. Go on",

"That piece of crap building makes noises too", She justified, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Go on",

"We had sex in the Med bay after a bat flew out at me. Filthy. Filthy sex", She murmured,

"Because of the adjustable bed?", I smirked.

"I think I need one in my house."

"Nice", I laughed, "...And was it?",

"Oh, The absolute best sex of my life",

"I told you, the more danger that's involved the better it is.",

"Steve's not like what I expected either", She blushed, thinking on it.

"Kinky?"

"No. I felt very safe with him. He took control",

"Ugh. You're making me miss sex. I hate you". I groaned, coercing her low laugh.

"How long has it been?",

"Since Harrelson combusted", I lied.

"Well, you know. You don't need Billy for a good time", Prue rubbed my arm, "I say the best way to get over him is to get under that fine black haired drummer who's been eyeing your ass all night",

"Tommy?", I nearly choked on the words.

"I saw you talking to him at the club that night too. He's got eyes for you", She pursed her lips, "I'm not saying you have to marry him. But you've gotta do something.",

"No, it's too soon",

"For you, not for him though", She murmured, "You look hot as fuck, Sierra. It's time you made Billy see that. Not the other way around. Don't you want revenge for all those times he made you look like an idiot? All those times he flirted with other girls?",

"Fucking someone else isn't going to make him love me", I sighed, drifting back towards the sound of music.

"No, but it'll close that door forever. And he won't think he's won", Prue shrugged, her black dress tapping at her thigh. "But whatever you do, I'll be here to support you",

"I know you will", I hugged her sideways before we re-entered the pit of music and drunk students.

"Tommy!", I heard someone call over the boom box streaming Elvis.

Prue and I trod through the sea of people and found a place by the fire with a good enough view of the concrete pad that had been transformed into a dance floor to point and laugh. She swayed to the sound of 'Can't help falling in love',

All before Steve took her hand and dragged her on to the dance floor. We'd had dance rehearsal during our usual classes so everyone knew the whole ball dancing thing. Slow dancing and stuff. But as I sat there alone, watching them lean in to each other I felt myself become very sad. Really quickly.

Take my hand

Take my whole life too

For I can't help falling in love with you

Prue and Steve kissed on that part.

Too be honest I felt a little creepy watching all those couples. Happily swaying. Kissing. Being in love.

I needed a fucking drink.

"Already on it", Troy stilled my escape, handing me a red cup.

"Thank fuck", I sighed, downing the liquid in a single gulp. "It was starting to get real miserable here", I shook my head at the strong burning in my throat, choking out, "What the hell was that?",

Troy laughed, not expecting me to skull it, "It was A Whiskey sour with more whiskey than sour",

"Ugh, no shit", I shrivelled my face at the sting.

"How are you doing, kid?", He asked in that very mature way. Like he was my Dad.

"Yeah, great. It might not look like it but I'm living the dream", I frowned, glancing back to the dance floor.

"Your friend, Tommy, is a character", He spoke, sipping his drink as he crossed his ankles.

"He knows how to live", I shrugged.

"He's going around asking for a cassette. I think he found it by the looks",

"Man likes music", I murmured,

"You used to like music too. Abba I believe.",

"And Fleetwood Mac",

His lips curled, leaning back on that sandstone block. The fire painting him in orange. He crossed his arms over his chest to speak again, that red cup lulling in his grasp. "How times have changed",

"Well we're both five years older", I shrugged, meeting those hazel eyes.

"Don't remind me", He breathed out, "You're Thirteen in my mind.",

"I would give anything to be thirteen again.". I sighed, my lips slowly quirking, "I would just punch your sister in the face.",

"She was such an asshole", He grimaced at the memory in a full body shiver.

"That's being kind to assholes",

"Yeah well, Eliza hasn't changed a bit. Except for the two kids, who are just the most entitled little brats",

"How old are they?",

He thought on it for a moment, squinting to remember, "Four and two",

"And what about the fathers? I believe you had nothing but kind things to say", I jeered, nudging his arm with my elbow. His eyes rolled.

"Drop kicks the both of them. First one was a high school senior who dropped out and went into the military. The second dumbass is a painter for his Dad's business, when he's not shooting up smack, crack or anything else he can get his hands on. The kids don't know either of them",

"Well, we all knew she'd fuck up your Dad's plan for her to become a doctor.", I snickered. "He bet on the wrong horse.",

Troy laughed through his nostrils, glancing down at his cup, "The old man actually passed not long after you left",

"Oh, I'm sorry.",

"Don't be. He had a brain tumour. None of us saw it coming. He died in his rocking chair on the porch, watching the sunrise.", He smiled gently at the memory.

"How old was he?",

"Forty five",

"Roy always seemed much older to me",

"Well he smoked a pack a day until he died and never ate anything that wasn't deep fried.",

"I've never met anyone else that could play the spoons half as good...Or skin a possum on the dinner table.",

"Yeah, he was a strange, strange man", Troy exhaled, taking another sip.

"He was different...",

"You sure you're okay?". Troy breathed, nudging my boot with his foot.

"Yes",

"Pretend like you mean it",

"I don't enjoy watching my Ex-Fiancé whore around the party okay? But who would?",

"Your what?",

Fuck. I let that slip.

"Boyfriend. Ex-Boyfriend", I corrected myself quickly but it was too late for that.

"You said Fiancé", He hounded with a smirk on his lips, "Were you two engaged?",

"For about a day before he got cold feet", I exhaled. No point hiding it now.

"You didn't tell me that",

"I don't tell you a lot of things, Troy",

"I'm going to have to kick his ass",

"Relax, it was only a day. Barely even matters...",

"Sierra, I don't go around proposing to women. It's a big fucking deal. He let you think he was going to marry you. Then fucked off. I'm going to kill him",

"Why?",

"What? You don't see how demented that is?",

"He shot Harrelson to save me. Guess that's enough to make you rethink things.",

"Sounds like he bitched out", Troy snickered. "Holy shit, you were engaged to Billy Hargrove. That's insane",

I could've killed him. Could've shot him right there. Both for the volume he said it and for those who passed us as he did. Kelsey, Aubrey, Grace and Simone.

And I knew as soon as their footsteps stilled that this was going to spread around the party like the flu. Maybe they didn't hear him over the music.

All until Kelsey turned on her heel, "You and Billy were engaged?", She all but gasped. Her skin paling.

"Not that it matters to you. But yes. We were", I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest. "You're more than welcome to show him your tits now though, he dumped me like a bag of trash",

She swallowed, "I didn't know",

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure his story doesn't match what actually happened", I sighed,

"I'm sorry",

"Why, did you fuck him?",

She didn't say anything but looked at the ground.

"I'll take that as a yes", I laughed softly.

It was always the ones they swore black and blue they weren't interested in. Kelsey walked away with her tail between her legs. And I turned to Troy.

"You did that on purpose",

"I heard her talking about it", He shrugged,

"You're evil", I clapped him on the shoulder.

"If it makes you feel better, he couldn't rise to the occasion",

"Hmm, shame", I snickered,

Troy ran his hand through his hair, "Hey, tell me if I'm thinking too much into things but", he exhaled A long breath from his nose, "You've been weird around me since I've been here in Hawkins. It's not just the addressing me as Agent Passmore. Not liking me is fine, but I can't even look at you without getting hissed at",

He wasn't wrong.

But how could I tell him the reason without sounding stupid?

I wish he'd stop staring at me for an answer.

"I'm always going to be that Thirteen year old girl that thinks you are all the stars in the sky, namely because I have to crane my neck to look at you both the same...", Hazel eyes clashed with mine, the fire light reflecting in their softness, "But I can't risk a glance or a touch incase I naively think that means there's hope again. And getting over that miserable crush I had sucked majorly the first time.",

"Being called Agent Passmore feels the same",

A short laugh left my nostrils, "Okay, Troy",

He took a short sip of his drink, "I don't think putting down the 7 foot stick you have around me is going to magically change things between us",

"Oh, no. Not with the hating you part of the clause,",

His sight met the grass, "Si, tell me anything I can do to fix it. I'll do it."

"There's no fixing it, Not two years after the fact. It's just too late for remorse", I felt cruel saying it, for the look it out on his face.

I didn't know how to forgive him. I wanted to. But how do you fix being hurt so badly by someone you thought the world of? What would it take?

Revenge?

Doing the same thing to him as he did to me?

But I couldn't do that. Not in the way he did. I didn't have it within my heart to.

I'd rather hate him than be him.

But he made hating him so hard. All he wanted was a resolution. Anything. He'd do anything. Endure anything. I believed that.

"Okay", He nodded softly, speaking, "I did like you Si, way back when, but it was illegal for me to like you the way you liked me. I was the same age Billy is now and you were barely a teenager",

I groaned, "I know, but you didn't have to be so nice to me, it only exacerbated my delusion—Thanks for not calling the police for the amount of times you caught me staring at you though",

"It was good for my ego. It's hard to feel ugly when you've got a thirteen year old staring at you with heart eyes around the clock.",

"No, it was embarrassing",

"Why?",

A scoff left my mouth.

He wasn't serious.

"Troy, you're the guy every mom wants their daughter to marry. I was a chubby 13 year old with braces",

"Hmm, I was going to bring the wife tonight", His eyes rolled.

My lips pressed together, "Yeah well, The daughters don't fall for the perfect guy, they fall for jackasses like Billy Hargrove",

Did I just call him the perfect guy?

Fuck that was so stupid.

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again as the dance floor cleared out.

Was there a fire?

No. Just Tommy Lee screwing around with the Boom Box.

"Sierra Morningstar, If you are in the building please come to dance floor", He shouted through cupped hands.

Oh No

"That's you, Hobgoblin", Troy, pushed my side, urging my upwards.

"Okay, okay", I hissed, standing from the seat.

I didn't know what I was walking in to but I passed Prue and Steve making out by the back gate as I did. A little gross, but okay.

"What the hell are you doing?", I demanded as I stepped onto the well lit pad. Tommy stood to his full height with a smirk. "Lose the jacket, it'll only get in the way",

"Of?", I questioned, peeling it from my shoulders. I threw it on to the grass.

"Well, that's the surprise", Tommy snickered, shedding the chained vest from his shoulders.

"And jackets are outlawed in this surprise?",

"Explicitly",

"Right...", I crossed my arms over my chest. Waiting. Just waiting. I watched him run his boot over the concrete to test its grip. Then he flicked his hair from his eyes.

"Gary", He motioned to the boom box and a shirtless dude pressed play.

I've been cheated, been mistreated

When will I be loved

The song made me chuckle. Oh no. How the hell did he find a cassette of it here?

And as he grabbed my hands I felt my cheeks redden,

"You're fucking insane",

"For sure", He drawled, spinning me into himself. It was a lot of spinning and kicks but holy crap he was good. The beat of the music was really easy to remember the moves to though. I really enjoyed it. I guess I forgot how fun this could be. And for a tall and skinny dude he was well coordinated.

The music blaring and people watching gave me a thrill.

While it was close quarters and intimate with one another I didn't really care. It was a dance.

I can't believe I remembered it.

Every twirl and stomp. It was insane how easily it got your heart pumping. The adrenaline running wild within me. Tommy was smiling too. It took the edge off. Made me feel more at ease and safe. Which I hadn't felt since...A while. Since demons were trying to kill me at least.

Dare I say I was having fun?

And as he span me into himself again he whispered in my ear.

"We going for the trick ending?",

"For sure",

The song faded with a final

Tell me when will I be loved

As it did he swept the back of my legs and I flipped onto his shoulder. While I was there I swung myself around him and back to his front. And as it looked like I was going to hit the concrete he caught my waist and thigh. Stopping me mid fall. My hand clasping the back of his neck.

His face so close to mine as he lifted me up higher. Black hair sweeping my cheek.

My chest was going haywire. But under his radiant smile I felt my mind lapse judgment. I gave in to the heat of the moment. I guess so did he. I'm not sure who did what but his lips met mine somewhere in between. And I didn't stop it.

It was a good kiss. A real heart racer. Very passionate. And hot.

But...It wasn't Billy.

And as he swung me upright, I wiped the smudged dark lipstick off his mouth with my thumb. "Thanks for catching me", I smiled, tapping his chin with my knuckle before an ocean of people swept back on to the floor. I escaped amidst them. Grabbing my jacket off the grass.

With tear filled eyes I wiped at the smudged lipstick on my face, exiting to the empty driveway.

Fuck, I sobbed, holding my hands to the back of my head as I walked. This was so fucked. Why did I feel so bad for this?

He'd moved on.

And I still felt guilty for kissing Tommy. When Billy had...I didn't want to think about what Billy had been up to since we'd broken up.

I just needed to walk.

To feel the breeze on my skin.

And it was such a nice breeze that night.

My boots crushed the cobbles beneath them, tears just spewing from my eyes. It was okay though. Maybe I just needed to cry.

Because that was a fucking excellent kiss and I felt nothing.

Not a fucking thing.

Maybe there was something wrong with me.

Maybe I was faulty.

Yeah that was it.

My footsteps gained less traction as I met the end of the driveway. Where there was no light. No protection from otherworldly demons.

I stopped finally at the mailbox, where the last of the UV light reached. Sniffling away my tears. I looked down at my watch there.

Shit it was only 7:30, how lame.

"Fuck", I sighed, wiping beneath my eyes.

"That good huh?", Tommy's soft voice echoed from behind me. His footfalls sounding thereafter. And I felt so bad. Swallowing before I spoke.

"William and I were engaged, Tommy Lee",

"Oh", He exhaled, stopping next to me.

"Yeah, it kinda sucks that he's been whoring through town and I feel fucking guilty over a kiss",

"What about a hug?", Tommy didn't really wait for an answer before twirling me into himself. Hugging me tightly. I pressed my head into his chest and we both just kinda swayed there for about five minutes.

I really needed that hug.

I was so thankful for him then.

"Sierra?", His voice rumbled in his chest. Vibrating against my sweating face.

"Yeah?",

"I'm going to send someone out, will you wait here while I get them?",

"I don't want Prue to see me like this", I groaned, bouncing my skull off the chain on his chest.

"Stay here.", Tommy murmured, the warmness of his body leaving with his fleeting steps. A shadow down the driveway.

I did stay there. If only to cry in peace.

Fuck.

Why was I so torn up about this?

It was a fucking kiss.

———

She kissed him. She fucking kissed him. Nothing could've prepared me for that.

"Holy. Shit. I didn't expect that from Dominatrix barbie. Did you Billy?", Stacy's voice pierced through the blaring music on the patio.

The floorboards shook beneath me and I gripped the railing to stay upright. Holy fuck. I fucked up. So bad. My stomach wanted to purge itself but I couldn't vomit here. Not in front of all these people.

"Billy", Kelsey grasped my arm but I shook her off.

It was the guilt that ate at me. The realisation of what a fucking prick I'd been. It gnawed under my skin, burrowing as this ache at the back of my throat.

"I could see her and Tommy together, you know? Raising his kid.", Stacy murmured close to me. Like she was really enjoying this. "He'd treat her right. Don't you think?",

"Shut up, Stacy", Kelsey spat.

Fuck.

I pushed myself off the railing and stormed back into Steve's house. I couldn't do this. I couldn't.

So I made for the front door. Or else I would've done something stupid. There was no one else there to get in my way.

"Oh, no. Are you leaving?", Stacy's voice sounded from behind me. And I stopped to turn to her. I wasn't in the fucking mood. What was her problem?

"Excuse me?", My neck angled.

"Are you leaving?", She reiterated with a firmer voice.

"What's it matter to you?", I murmured.

"Well makes you look like a dog scampering away with its tail between its legs.",

"Fuck off.",

Stacy scoffed and rolled her eyes all in one, crossing her arms at her chest. "You know, I never liked you Billy. I liked the attention I got from being your toy",

"Yeah well, I didn't like you either",

"Evidently. You saved Sierra instead of keeping your mouth shut. And that worked out really well for you didn't it? You got a fiancé and I got thrown into Juvie",

"You did that to yourself", I bit back. What was she going to do? Attack me? Make me pay?

"I know.",

It silenced me. Stacy wasn't reasonable. Or sane. She was fucking with me.

"Don't look so shocked Billy, I'm not a sociopath. I took a fucking crowbar to her head for fuck sake",

My brow raised, "What is wrong with you?",

She ignored my question, "Sierra is not in love with Tommy",

"She can fucking marry him for all I care", I spat in return.

"Wow. You're a real stubborn son of a bitch.", She smirked, "You know what, I hope she does Marry Tommy and they have beautiful black haired children together. And you, you dumbass, you live the rest of your life pining for her. Calling her the one who got away.",

"What is your fucking problem?",

Her face shrivelled in disgust, "Go after her you fucking drop kick",

She turned on her heel, passing Tommy out of the foyer. I didn't want to see him. Because all I thought of was him kissing my girl. And that made me want to punch him in the mouth.

"This is keeping an eye out for Sierra?!", I spat, pushing him against the wall. He was calm as my hands curled around his collar. Calmer than I would have been.

"She doesn't want me, Man. She wants you", Tommy spoke while pushing me off him.

"Then where is she, Tommy? Because she wasn't out on that dance floor kissing me",

"She's in the driveway. She's pretty inconsolable",

"And?", My neck cocked.

"And she doesn't want me. She wants you", He reiterated like I was stupid.

"Oh, did she ask for me by name?", I sneered.

"She didn't have to say it. Just go man", Tommy spoke in a firmer tone. Like I was the asshole.

"No",

"Fuck, you're an asshole", He shook his head and laughed. "Why do you think she's still in Hawkins, Billy? When there's demons on her ass?",

"What?",

How the fuck did he know that?

"She's here because you are.",

"Bullshit",

Tommy stepped forward, "Billy, I will drag you to that driveway",

"Fucking try",

He replied in a lowered voice, sliding his fingers down the chain on his vest, "Don't throw this away",

"Why not?",

"Because she's the best you're ever going to get.", Tommy bit back. "The CIA doesn't Make young, attractive Agents like that everyday. Go see her.",

My throat bobbed, fighting for words to say back.

"She's better off without me",

"Fine. Go tell her that", He huffed. "But don't fuck her around anymore.",

"Anymore?",

"Marry her or let her go"

—————-

It was 7:45 when I looked down at my watch again. My sight drifting to the stars. They were vibrant tonight. All the better to look down upon me and sneer. at some point I'd have to rejoin the party. Because I'd meant to ask Prue for a ride home. Dad had a job. He wouldn't be home for two days. Of all the luck...

I just wanted to be anywhere but here. Anywhere.

I wiped my eyes again that final time, but I could still feel water on my neck and chin. It was almost a damned river. All that I'd repressed. All that haunted me.

Kissing Tommy just brought it out. Like a train colliding into my chest.

And still my feet didn't want to move. I wanted to stay staring at that black sky. Cast in the most dull sheen of light. Alone and hidden from all other eyes.

I couldn't stay in Hawkins. Even if that meant dishonouring my contract. Even if that didn't matter to Jameson anymore. It mattered to me. I was a woman of my word. I didn't run.

"Fuck", I sniffled, pulling my jacket closer to my skin as I turned on the sturdy heel of my boots, meeting a shadow on the driveway as I did.

His hands were stuffed firmly in his jacket pockets. I stilled against it. Watching every footstep that came closer. Every rock crushed beneath his biker boots.

The soft light cascading onto dirty blonde hair. Onto his stern face. I was unsure why he was there at all. Now of all times.

To fight. Probably. I swallowed against the thought. Probably looking like an idiot to him. A wimp.

He stopped about a metre away, cocking his foot up on a giant rock beside the garden bed. Exhaling heavily.

Grey smoke cascaded upwards from the cigarette between his fingers.

"What? Tommy wasn't good enough?" His neck tilted, nothing nice within the question as he took a drag.

I shrugged in my confusion. Too fucked up right now to argue with him.

"You two fucking?", Billy added, making my jaw clench in lieu of punching him.

I locked my sight on his smug face, snarling "What if we were? Would that make it any of your business?",

He scoffed, motioning with his cigarette "You know. You became very nasty when we broke up",

"We didn't break up, Billy. You broke up us", I corrected, that name slamming into him like I'd jabbed him in the ribs.

"It's a little petty to fuck my best friend, isn't it?",

I returned his question with a look of 'I wonder how that feels?',

Fucking hypocrite.

"I'm not fucking anyone, you douchebag",

"Aww, Did I scar you?", He smirked, exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air.

I looked at him and I saw nothing reminiscent of the man I'd fallen in love with. The guy who stole me a priceless artefact from a haunted house. Who'd let me cry into his chest when Dad was sick. Or wiped the blood from my head when I got into that car accident.

Who I'd shared a house with. A life.

And that made my eyes sting again.

"Why don't you leave?", I suggested quickly, leaning into that brick mailbox. "Go back to the party, enjoy your freedom",

Under the lights his red shirt looked purple. His brown jacket turning a murky burgundy. He ran his tongue over his teeth before inhaling more of that cigarette smoke. All the while his head nodded.

"You see that's what I was doing, Sierra, Until my boy Tommy found me and told me you were weeping in the driveway. Which I'm assuming, had something to do with me",

"Don't flatter yourself", I shook my head, my hand tightening on the corner of the mailbox. I was stupid. To think he still cared.

"Well, Since you're fine, I'll go then", He shrugged, coercing just the strangest noise to leave me. Like a scoff and snort. It got the message of disdain across real nicely.

"I didn't even ask you to marry me this time",

"Excuse me?", He whirled back around like a speeding bullet.

"Oh, nothing. Usually that's the only sure fire way to see a Billy shaped hole in the door.",

"Maybe I left you because you're a bitch", He smirked, breathing smoke through his nostrils.

"I wasn't the bitch, baby.",

"Fine. Sierra. You wanna do this right now? Let do it", He smirked that shit eating grin as he tore that cigarette from his lips to speak again. "I broke up with you. For a lot of reasons. It wasn't just me",

Fuck him. I could feel my teeth grinding over one another. And I could feel myself becoming very nasty, "Hmm, and when did you decide you were miserable? Every night we fucked? Or maybe when you asked me to marry you?",

"You conveniently missed out a lot in between the two.", He shook his head, taking another drag, "I never saw you, Sierra. You'd go out on jobs and be gone for most of the night or you'd skip school for some Agent bullshit. Even when you weren't working you were working. You weren't there",

"Yeah, you didn't seem to mind how I made up for that, you fucking asshole. I tried to make it work and you jumped ship. It's that simple.",

"No. It's not that fucking simple. Nothing about being with you was ever simple.",

"And you think you were? For fuck sake, William you got drunk and swung on my Dad. You got drunk and let me know who you really are. What you actually feel. And I could never be with someone who would shoot a demon to save me then tell me they wish they never had.",

"I never fucking said that", Billy scoffed loudly,

"You told me it was my fault you shot someone. That I was the reason you were miserable",

"It was your fault", He didn't think before responding and I think that hurt more than anything. Fuck it hurt.

"Then let me die next time, you prick", I laughed weakly because it was the only thing I could do. Running my fingers through my hair, "This is so fucked. I can't even talk to you. You've fully fucking reverted back to whoring douchebag."

A puff of smoke rose from his lips, "You know I didn't mean it like that.",

"No. I don't. I don't know you. I thought I did, but fuck was I wrong", I spat, gesturing to the empty driveway.

"What's that supposed to mean?", His neck tilted. And I ground out in response,

"It means I loved you and you fucking broke me. But it didn't matter. Because you had a new bitch the next day...I hate you for that. I just hate you",

"You're on fire tonight", Billy rested his elbow on his propped knee. "The sexy leather outfit, the insults, the...show. It's really sad to see you trying so hard to spite me",

I spoke before really thinking it through, letting that anger take the lead, "Who fucking knows, Billy? It'll probably be the last time. Take your pick between demons, crackheads or canc—", The last words trailed off into nothingness, succeeding only in a warm trail down my cheek. I looked away from him. Staring into the silhouettes of trees in the night. I shouldn't have said that. Fuck, I shouldn't have said that. I gathered myself quickly, "Whatever I'm doing, it isn't for you. It's for me. And it's for my job",

"Why didn't you tell me?", He demanded in that nasty voice that trailed into nothingness as he gestured to me, "About the—",

Right. The cancer thing.

"The lung cancer?...", I sighed, laughing at how stupid it was, "You came home high and drunk on the day of Paul's funeral. Literal hours after I thought I'd had the worst day of my life...I didn't owe you a goddamn thing",

His sight dipped to the gravel "...You didn't tell me",

"You weren't there to tell and when you were you weren't worried about me",

"And How long did you know before that?",

"Few days, maybe a week",

"You should've fucking told me", His hand brushed down his face like he was frustrated with me, annoyed with me.

"Oh? Would it have made you want to marry me?", I sneered, uncrossing my arms. He didn't get it, "Would you have not thrown us in the trash otherwise?!",

It silenced him. Made his throat bob in that uncomfortable way. Then it was just the sound of crickets in the night. And I could only wait for his fantastic answer. A minute. Then two. His head nodding gently with each thought. That knee jittering restlessly until he took his leg off that rock and stood upright, flicking his cigarette butt onto the gravel.

"Did you want to marry me?", He questioned in the softest voice I'd ever heard from him.

Frustration rose in my chest, "I did. Because unlike you, I wasn't fucking around, Billy",

"Yeah because that's all I do, right? Fuck around?",

"Does that really need a response?",

"For fuck sake, Sierra. Do you think this whole thing was a joke to me?",

"Well You sure fucking made me look like a clown",

"I wasn't fucking around.",

"Keep telling yourself that".

He went quiet and shook his head while speaking, motioning to me while he did, "...Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever done, so don't stand there and tell me I got away easy",

Heat burned in my eyes as I whispered. "You did", And turned on my heel.

I didn't know what he felt. I didn't know much anymore. But I knew what I felt then. In that moment I was thinking clearly. Thinking straight.

"I can't do this anymore. I don't want to do this anymore", I wiped away the tears from my cheeks and whirled back around to him, "It's too hard...I'm done",

"Done?",

"Done",

"What, are you leaving Hawkins or something ?", He scoffed.

I looked down at my watch and spoke, "Or something",

The goodbyes were done.

I was ready.

For something new.

"Because of me?", Billy murmured, lifting his sight. And even if he tried to hide it I saw the glassiness in his eyes. He was, after all, someone I knew better than myself.

"Because of me", I exhaled, nodding gently to myself as I took those first scary steps out of bounds. Home was a ten minute walk. And I had my UV light in my pocket. The road was pitch black either way. All for the white line that marked the edge of it.

This was going to suck.

One foot over the line and he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. I turned to him there. The tears on his cheeks glistening under the moonlight. "Don't leave", He pleaded. And I couldn't look into those reflective eyes without feeling myself breaking down. So I met that silver pendant against his chest.

"You can't ask me to stay. Not when I'm the one who has to watch you whore your way through our school again. When I'm the one who put my fucking heart and soul into our relationship and I still got fucking left. Tell me how that's fair?",

"I didn't want to watch you die", He choked out, looking away to speak. "I couldn't protect you in that castle, Sierra. I couldn't do a fucking thing against that demon.", Billy sniffled, running his hand through his hair, "...I sent you to that basement.", The words came out as a whisper. Or else he would've sobbed.

"I didn't need protecting. I needed you", I bit my tongue, "And you were nowhere to be found."

I didn't believe him. Not for a second. I didn't believe that was what pushed him over the edge.

"You nearly died because of me",

"...Maybe we just weren't meant to stay together, William",

He nodded gently, breathing out before speaking, like it was the hardest thing he had to do. "Your eyes give you away, Sierra", I watched him clear his throat, "And when I was fucked up on drugs and whatever else during our last fight together I grabbed you. And the way you flinched—You were scared of me. I hurt you. I—I fucked up. But it wasn't because I stopped loving you",

"I never questioned whether you loved me. I know you did. But you can love someone and still see that they aren't ready for a relationship...You weren't ready for any of the shit my life entails. And I don't think you ever will be.",

"That wasn't it", He shook his head with a tense jaw.

"I tried to make you into someone you weren't. It's not your fault, William. We're just two different people. We're too different",

"It was my fault.",

"Doesn't really matter anymore does it?", I sighed, wiping under my eyes.

Time to leave.

To go our seperate ways.

"It matters",

"Because you loved me? Or because you found out the truth?",

"Because I love you", He corrected me quickly, like he didn't have to think.

"Then stop fucking this up", I huffed, too drained to even cry. He smiled through his tears, wiping them with the palm of his hand.

"I think I've proven that I don't know how to do that",

"Yeah, no shit", I scoffed, laughing through my nostrils. "You might as well be made of fucking knives",

His smile widened at the words. Knives.

Freddy Krueger. Elm street. He was such a dork.

Coercing my sigh, "I'm aware we're on Elm street, and I'm annoyed that I know that's why you're laughing",

"I love you,", He swallowed, looking down at our hands. I noticed then the silver and black bird ring. Situated comfortably on his opposing ring finger. "And these past weeks have just been like fucking rusted nails digging in to my skin", A tear dribbled down his cheek and then another, "There's mistakes, then there's ruining your life, then there's what I did...and fuck, I don't expect you to ever forgive me for that. I really threw away the best thing that had ever happened to me...I don't know why I did that",

"But you did", I spoke softly, just wanting to hug him, but I couldn't, "And I can't trust you not to do it again. Not while I'm...sick",

He choked out while meeting my eyes, "I did want to marry you, you know?",

"No. You didn't", I swiped his cheek lightly with the tips of my fingers. Just as a mist of rain began to sprinkle down. Like fog in the air. "Goodbye, William", I smiled weakly before walking away. Crossing over that band of white on the road.

————-

I walked the whole way home, packed up the truck and headed for the airport.

But there was one stop I had to make.

My hand rapped against a golden knocker. The lights were on so I assumed he was home. The rain pelted down behind me. I, myself was soaking wet standing under his roofless porch.

A minute after the first knock the door opened.

"Damn, kid I was about to send a search party for you", Troy stared back at me, shouting over his shoulder, "Found her, Tommy",

But it didn't matter.

None of that mattered.

Hazel eyes met me there on his front porch, closing the door behind him, He stepped into the rain, "Are you okay? I've been looking everywhere for you. Geez, Sierra you're soaking wet. Come inside",

I said nothing but nudged the empty milk crate on the ground with my foot, sliding it in front of me, in my stride I mounted the crate, holding one of his shoulders. My heart beating out of my chest.

This was madness.

He looked like he thought I was going to hit him which was just hilarious. Hazel eyes glanced between mine in his uncertainly. He was still taller than me by a few inches.

"Close your eyes", I said gently, watching his brow raise.

"If you're going to hit me—",

"Close your eyes",

He did. And for a moment I watched the rain soak his hair and dark shirt. Each droplet was freezing cold.

This was so fucking stupid. But goddamn it I had to find a way to forgive him before I was gone and this was all I could come up with. I couldn't leave things with him like I had with William.

Hating him had to end.

My hand swiped firmly across his cheek with an open palm. Soft enough to not leave a bruised but firm enough to make his neck snap to the right. "Geez, You hit like a man", He groaned, Rubbing the reddened skin on his jaw.

"Close your eyes. This isn't kindergarten, it's getting even",

He exhaled another gentle groan but closed them again.

My fingers swept across his forehead to stop the rain dripping into his eyes and he nearly jumped back. A nervous laugh escaping my chest, "Jumpy much?"

"You just hit me in the face",

"I'm not going to hit you, you can stop flinching",

We had to be even. I couldn't live hating him forever. Not if he was going to be in my life.

This was the only morally acceptable way to make him feel a fraction of the hurt he caused me.

The high road.

I placed my hands flat against his shoulders so I didn't fall off the crate

"I have every right to be scared and—"

With a fast beating heart I brushed his lips with mine. So unsure and featherlight that you'd think I'd never kissed anyone. He went rigid against it. Completely caught off guard. I expected it.

It's not as if I thought it'd be returned.

But I still shouldn't have done that.

"That was so much more badass in my head", I murmured, a breath away. But he didn't say anything. He just looked at me like I'd spat on his grave.

Yeah, it was time to go.

"How was THAT getting even?", He asked dryly, "That was the kiss you give grandma who gives you mouth-to-mouth every Christmas",

"Buddy, you couldn't handle me at my b—"

His mouth met mine again like he knew it was goodbye. As if to say 'Don't you dare leave like that'.

In its rawness I clung to his collar, desperate to stay grounded as he pulled me in closer, each damning kiss unravelled my sanity and burnt wildfire through my core. Goddamn it. His hand ended up entangled in my hair and I think my nails drew blood from the grasp I had on the side of his neck. But it didn't matter.

We barely shared a ragged breath while the rain poured down on us amidst that feral kiss. His shirt clinging to wet skin. A light moan left my lips to signify my return to sanity.

As I pulled away I locked eyes with him, and for a moment, neither of us could speak.

I knew I had messed up...really bad. But it was too late. With my voice hoarse from the heat of the kiss I managed to utter,

"I forgive you, Troy", Before walking back to my car

It was all I could say with my heart still pounding with both confusion and excitement. That sort of kissing lead to things we couldn't afford to be doing.

And at 2 AM I boarded the plane to California.

——