Chapter Five: Return To Hawkins

(pre-Suzie, Do You Copy?, Pt. 5)

***

Alistair jolted, gasping for breath. Sweat plastered his shirt to his skin and slicked his hair, and his chest was tight as Alistair tried to breathe again. Tried to forget his nightmare, the whisper-screams of the ghosts.

A caw came and Alistair looked over to see Hugin looking at him, concern running through the bond as the raven asked, Alistair okay?

"I'm fine, buddy. Just a nightmare," Alistair croaked, rubbing eyes gritty with sleep. Blinking blearily, he looked around in the hazy grey-blackness as his eyes adjusted, seeing the form of his cousin in his bed, Kieran still fast asleep as he snored. Relief flooded Alistair that he hadn't woken up his cousin—wait, maybe he shouldn't feel relief. Kieran usually slept like the dead, and for someone who literally controlled light, he usually woke up way after the sun had risen. He'd never woken up when Alistair had woken up gasping from a nightmare, whether it was ghost or Upside Down related. Alistair was glad for that—he didn't want to endure that particular awkwardness.

Sighing, Alistair looked over to the alarm clock on his bedside table, green numbers burning the darkness. He sighed again when he saw the time—4:45 AM.

Well, no point trying to get to sleep again, Alistair thought. Not when in a few hours, he'd be on a plane flying back to Hawkins. Back to home. Back to Aunt Aco, back to Mike, Lucas and Dustin, back to Cami, Max and El.

Back to Will.

Alistair gulped, stomach knotting. Today would be the first day he'd meet Will in full recognition of his crush on his best friend. He was excited to see Will—he would always be excited to see his best friend. But he couldn't deny he was also terrified of seeing Will knowing he felt more than platonic feeling toward him. Would Will see the change? Would Alistair ask differently around Will? Would Will ask why? Would Will notice Alistair's crush on him?

What would he say if he did?

Alistair twisted his mouth and shoved the sheets aside more forcefully than needed. Whatever. That didn't matter. Will had been his best friend before this crush, and he always would be. No matter what.

And that meant he had to start packing.

Moving as quietly as possible, Alistair quickly changed into what he was wearing on the plane and packed everything he'd taken into a suitcase periodically eyeing Kieran just in case he woke up. When his cousin continued sleeping like a log after Alistair zipped the suitcase for good. Holding it up, he checked again before creeping out and heading down the stairs, right toward the kitchen and making a much-needed cup of coffee.

But when he got there, he froze at the sight of Aunt Hazel, holding her own cup of coffee and smiling.

"Morning, Al," she greeted warmly, way to chipper for this time. "I see you're already awake and packed. Want to have something to eat while we wait for your sister and my kids to wake up? And before you ask, yes, there is some coffee still in the pot."

Alistair's shocked features transformed into a relieved smile.

"You're a lifesaver, Aunt Hazel," he said, and Aunt Hazel chuckled at how that was true, both with her powers and her job as a doctor.

"I know," she said, winking.

Alistair kept up the smile before letting it fall as he put down the suitcase and headed to the saviour of every miserable morning, making himself a cup. While he waited, he busied himself with making some toast, Hugin perched on his shoulder. When both were done, Alistair rested the plate of food on the counter while he took his first sip of coffee, and sighed in bliss as the caffeine energised him.

Alistair downed the first cup by the time Kieran, Ash and Sage woke up and joined him and Aunt Hazel, looking miserable, and was drinking his second cup and inhaling his toast, Hugin watching so he didn't choke to death, and unzipped his suitcase so he could put Hugin in it as he heard Rowan getting ready before she joined them, dressed to go, her duffel bag and the plane tickets in her hands.

"Hey," she said breathlessly, making a beeline for the pantry and grabbing Honeycombs cereal before getting a bowl, spoon and bottle of milk.

"Hey Rowan. You sleep well?" Hazel asked, spreading jam on toast, a cup of coffee steaming beside her. Alistair watched Kieran eyeing it.

"Good," his sister muttered as she poured the milk in, not even waiting for the cereal to get soggy before she was shovelling it into her mouth.

"Slow down sweetie, you're gonna choke," Aunt Hazel warned, but Rowan only shook her head.

"Can't. Early flight," his sister said between bites.

"I know. I'm driving you and your brother there, remember?" Aunt Hazel reminded her. Rowan didn't respond, too busy eating. Alistair focused on eating his own breakfast, gulping the coffee down faster even as it scalded his throat, the taste strong and bitter—just as he liked it.

"Why do they need to go to the airport, anyway? Can't Amarantha portal them back to Hawkins?" Kieran questioned.

Alistair looked down, not willing to answer, as Rowan answered for him, "Because we have friends waiting for us who don't know."

A heartbeat later, she was slurping up the milk and chucking both bowl and spoon into the sink via her telekinesis. As they gave an alarming clatter, Aunt Hazel directed a sharp look at Rowan, but his sister ignored it as she looked at him and asked, "You packed, squirt?"

"Yep," Alistair answered, nodding at that open suitcase.

"Okay. Great," Rowan said, ruffling his hair. Alistair's eyes narrowed and he halfheartedly swiped at it, but even as he looked irritated, he didn't really mind, before he gulped down his coffee and finished off the toast.

"Do you have your tickets?" Aunt Hazel asked.

"Yes!" Rowan and Alistair said in unison before bolting back up the stairs and into the bathroom to brush their teeth. They pushed and jostled each other as they frantically brushed, hurrying to be ready. Spitting and rinsing their mouths at the same time, Rowan grabbed Alistair's arm, Alistair only having a second to brace himself before they were teleported downstairs. His stomach swam with nausea—teleporting was weird—but he swallowed it back down as he moved to his suitcase and Hugin. Behind him, he heard his aunt getting ready as Kieran looked at the coffee machine.

"Can I—" he asked, only to be shot down with a firm, "No," from Aunt Hazel.

"Alistair drinks coffee!" Kieran protested.

"Alistair isn't my son, and I've already tried to convince him not to drink that much coffee," Aunt Hazel countered. "Now, if you're coming, get ready."

Kieran groaned, but he did as his mom said, hopping off the stool and going back upstairs in a blur of motion. Alistair turned away, focused on the task of getting Hugin in his suitcase—and given how Hugin had put up a fight the first time, he was not looking forward to it.

Grabbing the undead raven, Alistair pulled over the suitcase with his foot. Instantly Hugin began fighting, croaking and flapping his wings, scratching at Alistair with his talons and pecking him as the bird protested, No! Don't want to! Too dark! Too small! Don't put me inside!

He wriggled and flapped and clawed even more frenetically, but Alistair kept a firm grip, hissing, "Hugin, get inside, you know you can't be on planes—no, you can't fly outside, you'll give someone a heart attack!"

Alistair glared at Hugin at the insane suggestion as Hugin cawed and belligerently flapped his wings. But, he seemed to accept his fate as he stopped fighting, though Alistair felt disgruntlement and reluctance from the raven as he finally put Hugin inside, zipping it up before he could escape, Hugin giving one last annoyed, muffled caw.

Glaring at the suitcase, Alistair propped it up as Rowan raised an eyebrow and remarked, "You know, that raven is lucky he doesn't need to breathe."

Alistair barked out an emotionless laugh. "Yeah. If he did, I'd have a much bigger problem smuggling him onto a plane."

Since Hugin was... undead, Alistair couldn't exactly have him out in public, much less sitting on his shoulder in a plane. So, the suitcase was the only way Hugin could get onto the plane without anyone being the wiser. It was frankly a miracle the airport scanners hadn't picked him up when they left for Boston. Alistair prayed their luck wouldn't turn and the Boston airport's scanners wouldn't pick up Hugin on their return flight to Indianapolis.

His sister stifled a snort, before holding his shoulder and said, "Come on. It's time to go back home."

At that, Alistair's mouth split into a beaming smile. Home. 

He was going back home.

Rowan returned the smile before she let go of his shoulder, just to swing her duffel onto her shoulder, holding the tickets in a firm grip in her hand, right as Aunt Hazel shouted, "Kids!"

"Coming!" they all yelled, rushing to where Aunt Hazel waited. She looked at them and asked, "You ready? Ash, Sage, Kieran, grab your coats."

The siblings nodded and did so. Alistair and Rowan didn't, already wearing their jackets.

When she judged them ready, Aunt Hazel opened the door and made her way to the car. Alistair was surprised to see it had snowed last night, and he took a moment to take in the pristine white landscape before he walked after Aunt Hazel, his sneakers tramping through the snow, disturbing it and leaving craters behind in the white crust. He kept the suitcase up, grunting with the effort as Hugin gave muffled croaks inside. And even though it had snowed last night, Alistair felt more snow kiss his hair and skin, cold seeping into his skin. Alistair didn't mind.

He'd grown used to cold by now.

But it was still an insane relief when, after Ash thawed the car out and Alistair and Rowan put their suitcase and duffel in the trunk, Aunt Hazel opened the car and they piled in, relief shared by everyone as the heater turned on and delicious heat filled up the car.

"Okay, kids, we've got a bit of a drive to Boston, so don't argue, okay?" his aunt warned, shooting a glare at all four of them crammed in the back. It was only by the fact Alistair needed at least one of the window seats that he was next to it and not squashed in the middle.

"We won't, Mom. Promise," Ash assured, her face the picture of innocence.

Alistair smothered a snort—his cousin was the opposite of innocent—and his aunt wasn't fooled as she threatened, "You better, or you're helping your aunt catalogue the library."

Promises immediately exploded from his cousins as Alistair watched with a smirk, at the apparently mutually hated chore.

Satisfied, Aunt Hazel turned back around, started the car and put it into Drive.

And then they were leaving the Graveswood Manor behind, Alistair looking out the window to see it grow smaller and smaller, seeing the hazy shapes of the ghosts, Betty and Kate waving goodbye. He waved back, missing them already. They, along with the occasional ghost he saw in Lynn, were definitely the nicer ones—much nicer than the ones who haunted his sleep and in Hawkins. Though, maybe he should give the Hawkins ghosts a second chance. They did try to help him with Will—even though they were cryptic and had told him to not trust Will—especially the drowned ghost girl. Maybe he should at least seek her out when he got back...

A finger poking him pulled Alistair out of his thoughts and he looked over at Sage. His cousin smiled as she said, "Hey, Al, I know this is a stupid question, but do you have a favourite singer?"

"Uh, yeah, I do. Elton John," Alistair answered, the answer easy.

"Wait, really? I love Elton!" Sage exclaimed.

Alistair grinned, resisting the urge to punch the air. "Yes! Another Elton lover!"

"But, if I'm being honest, I like The Beatles the tiniest bit more, but I blame that on my parents. But Elton's really cool and I love his songs," Sage amended.

"I'll take that," Alistair said.

So began a discussion of Elton John and the Beatles while Kieran broke the promise and annoyed Ash by snapping his fingers in front of her face, his cousin looking steadily more and more like she was going to set her brother on fire. Up front, Rowan was quiet—probably listening to some tapes—and Aunt Hazel drove.

The car remained relatively peacefully until they left Lynn and Ash's patience snapped.

"Kieran, I swear to God, if you don't stop that, I'll burn you!" she yelled.

"Mom! Ash is threatening me!" Kieran snouted.

"Only because you kept snapping your fingers in my face!"

"Kids. Stop arguing," Aunt Hazel ordered. "Don't make me stop this car. Your cousins have their flight to catch."

That stopped the argument, Kieran and Ash silent and shooting glares at each other. Sage and Alistair shared a look, smiling. Rowan twisted over, looking at him as she asked, "How you going, Al?"

"Fine," Alistair mumbled, arms crossed. If he was being honest, he was actually feeling tired.

"Excited to see everyone? Aunt Aco, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Max, Cami, El, Eddie... Will?" Rowan inquired, a knowing smirk on her face. Alistair flushed, and he hated how his bright red face made that smirk on his sister's face grow wider.

"Y-yeah," he answered, before his brain pinged with the perfect revenge as he returned, "Excited to see Steve?"

"Yeah," Rowan answered, her face not changing. But Alistair could tell what he said had an impact—a subtle flash before it was gone. Because while his sister may say she never crushed on anyone, Alistair had a feeling that if she did have one, it was on Steve—surprising, since he remembered his sister hating his guts years ago—and, like any good brother, wanted to exploit it.

But Rowan bushed it aside as she went on, "But I'm excited to see the other gremlins again and Eddie, Chrissy, Robin and Valerie and our fellow monster hunters, and Aunt Aco."

Alistair smiled—he couldn't wait to see those people again, too. "Me too."

Rowan returned it before twisting back around.

Aside from the radio, silence filled the car, and sleep weighed heavy on Alistair, and he surrendered to it, his head falling onto Sage's shoulder right before his eyes drifted close and he conked out to the rest of the world.

Dreamless, ghost-free bliss awaited Alistair, and he sank into the void with a smile. Blackness greeted him, wrapping around him like a blanket. He was sinking, sinking, sinking...

Pain shattered the bliss.

Alistair choked on a gasp. Pain seared through him, spreading through his limbs, freezing them in place. He was paralysed, feeling nothing but the all-consuming pain and, faintly, the cold creeping into him, paralysing him further, turning him into ice, even his heart freezing into ice as it stopped—

Don't go back.

Alistair's eyes widened and he tried to find the owner of the voice, but black only greeted him, black that pressed down on him, crushed him, swallowed him, as pain ripped through him and cold froze every part of him and Alistair could only focus on his unmoving heart and the pain and cold—

Snickering pierced his dreams like a needle popping a birthday balloon and Alistair blinked groggily as he pulled himself out of the haze of the dream or whatever that had been. A nightmare? But it didn't feel like a nightmare...

"We there yet?" he asked, voice rough from sleep—how long was he asleep and in that weird dream?

"Not yet, squirt," his sister answered, turning around. "Nice nap?"

"A bit," Alistair answered, not really knowing what to say about what he'd seen. Instead, he focused on Sage's elbow digging into him as he added on, "Kinda ruined by this bony elbow that kept digging into me."

Sage gaped at him, shock and betrayal on her face. "I don't have bony elbows!"

"You do," Alistair and Kieran said in unison. Sage glared at them both with such force Alistair was surprised they weren't dead.

Still, that resulted in a bout of bickering between them, with not even the library's threat stopping his cousins, especially when Ash was inevitably dragged in. Alistair felt almost sorry for his aunt and sister, but he didn't care as he argued with his cousins, gleefully accepting it as a way to forget about the weird dream, even as Aunt Hazel snapped at them to be quiet.

Alistair would take any comfort in arguing if it meant forgetting the dream, the warning.

However, the bickering ending had Alistair refocus on it, his eyebrows drawn together as he thought over it.

Don't go back.

What did that mean? Was the warning about Hawkins? Why shouldn't he go back home? And what the hell did it have to do with the rest of the dream?

The last time he had a dream like this, it was the ghosts warning him about Will being possessed. But that couldn't be the case—the gate was closed. There was no way for the Mind Flayer to get through, or the ghosts to be worried, especially here, far from Hawkins.

Wasn't there?

However, the dream faded when the roads got busier as they drove into Boston proper. Alistair was still stunned by how busy it was in the city, like everyone was rushing like the world was gonna end. He wondered if New York was like this. He had to ask Cami when he saw her.

But Aunt Hazel navigated the busy roads with ease, driving through them like it was an everyday thing. And with the congested roads and snowy weather, they made it to the airport—with minutes to spare.

Alistair grabbed the car door, as Rowan said, "Thanks for the ride, Aunt Hazel!", and she got out, Alistair right behind her. They headed to the trunk and grabbed the duffel and suitcase, where a muffled, irritable croak came.

Hold on Hugin. Just a few more hours, he told the raven via their bond as Aunt Hazel replied, "No problem, sweetie. You two have a safe flight and give Aco all our love!"

"We will!" Alistair promised, before Rowan grabbed his arm with her hand that wasn't holding the tickets and she hissed, "Come on, squirt, we're gonna miss our flight!"

"Bye Rowan! Bye Alistair!" Sage, Ash and Kieran shouted, waving enthusiastically at them.

"We're gonna miss you!" Sage exclaimed.

"See you next time!" Kieran shouted.

"And you better damn call us!" Ash hollered, right before Aunt Hazel sped away, back to the manor.

Alistair grinned. He was gonna miss his cousins. He wished he got to say another goodbye to Amarantha and Javier.

"Bye!" he yelled back, right before Rowan tugged on his arm, hard.

"Come on, Al!"

"Okay, I'm coming, I'm coming!"

With the very real threat of their flight leaving any minute, the siblings rushed inside, all but sprinting to the check-in, and giving the lady there a heart attack when they arrived.

"Hey, is the flight for Indianapolis still here? It hasn't left yet?" Rowan questioned, panting.

The woman frowned, before smiling brightly. "Yes, the flight to Indianapolis hasn't left yet."

"Great!" Rowan exclaimed, a painful smile on her face as Alistair exhaled a relieved breath.

"Yes, so just put your luggage there," the lady explained, pointing to the conveyor belt.

They did so with the suitcase, before moving onto security and through to the gate, with the other stragglers. There, Rowan all but threw the tickets to the lady there, who gave them a look as she checked their tickets before saying cheerily, "Enjoy your flight!"

"We will," Rowan said, voice so tight Alistair was surprised it didn't break, before they finally hurried onto the plane.

The first thing Alistair smelled was cigarette smoke. His nose wrinkled—he didn't like smoking. But his disgust was secondhand to his concern for Rowan, and her sobriety, just like he'd been concerned for her on the flight to Boston a month ago.

"You okay, Ro?" he asked.

"Fine, squirt. Let's just find our seats," Rowan gritted out.

Alistair frowned, but he accepted it as Rowan pushed him forward and they headed down the aisle, looking for their seats. People glanced over at them, and Alistair tried to ignore the judgement, of two teenagers on a plane alone, judgement towards his sister and her style, the duffel bag swinging from Rowan's shoulder. Alistair glared at them, taking in comfort from the bond with Hugin, feeling the undead raven even in the suitcase, in the cargo area, and keeping a grip on his sister's hand until, finally, they found their seats.

Alistair sat down first, followed by Rowan after she put the duffel bag into the overhead compartment, Carrie and 'Salem's Lot in her hands. And not a second too soon, as the plane's speakers crackled with the announcement they were taking off.

Alistair gripped the seats, his stomach swooping as the plane started taking off, excitement bubbling with the rollercoaster-like feeling of his swooping stomach.

Two hours.

Only two hours or so until they were in Indianapolis. Until they saw Aunt Aco and their friends. Until Alistair saw Will.

***

Alistair never felt relief as crushing as the relief he felt when the plane touched down and a cheery voice said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived in Indianapolis."

A smile was fixed on his face as the plane bustled with activity, of people leaving, shuffling out slowly. Alistair and Rowan waited until most of the people filed out before Rowan got out and grabbed the duffel, swinging it on before she said, "Ready?"

The grin Alistair sent her was answer enough as he got out of the seat and the siblings walked down the aisle, exiting the plane. And stepping foot back in Indianapolis.

Alistair's heart was beating loudly in his ears, threatening to rupture his eardrums and burst his ribcage with its force, but Alistair found himself not caring, not when he was so happy at the idea of seeing Aunt Aco again, of seeing his Party again, of seeing Will. He could tell Rowan was just as excited.

As they walked down the terminal, Alistair craned his head forward, trying to see the people waiting for them past the people walking out of the terminal. His heart was banging against his chest, and—

And that was the moment he saw his aunt.

Aunt Aco was standing there, arms crossed and looking worried, until she saw them and joy so delirious filled her face. Alistair smiled, and Rowan was smiling too, as she waved at their aunt and shouted, "Aunt Aco!"

That attracted the attention of the other people there waiting for them—Chrissy, sitting in a chair and smiling so brightly it could have lit the room up, Steve sitting next to Chrissy, relief and joy flooding his face at seeing them—at seeing Rowan—and holding up a big sign saying WELCOME HOME ROWAN AND AL!!! was Cami and...

Will.

Alistair's heart lurched and his smile turned giddy as he saw his best friend, his crush.

"Kids!" Aunt Aco yelled, and then they were racing toward each other, meeting in the middle, crushing each other in hugs and laughing. And from where he was standing, Alistair saw Steve standing up, followed by Chrissy, Cami and Will, his friends smiling. But Alistair was only looking at Will, his heart bursting inside him at seeing him.

Rowan noticed Steve, too, and she pulled away from the hug as she yelled, "Steve!"

As if his name was permission, Steve ran to Rowan and embraced her in a hug. Rowan laughed and she hugged him back. Alistair smirked, eyebrow raised knowingly.

However, he was pulled away from it when he was tackled from behind and a familiar voice yelled, "Welcome back, Al!"

Alistair laughed, turning around so he could properly embrace Cami. "Oh man, I've missed you, Cams!"

"I've missed you too!" she exclaimed, her arms tight around him. The hug lasted for a few seconds before Cami pulled back, a light twinkling in her eyes as she said, "You have to tell me everything, Al."

Alistair nodded, before another voice spoke, a voice that had his heart stutter mid-beat.

"Hi, Al," Will said, smiling.

Alistair grinned, his heart leaping. "Will!"

He hugged Will, his friend laughing as he embraced Alistair back. Alistair held him tightly, just enjoying the fact he was hugging Will, that he was back, God he missed Will so much.

"I missed you," he whispered. "Like, a lot, Will."

"I missed you, too," Will replied. "Hawkins wasn't the same without you."

Alistair laughed and they pulled back, grinning. Alistair looked at Will, at his face, and he was stunned at seeing how gorgeous Will Byers looked.

Holy shit, did Will always look this cute? Alistair thought.

"Al? You okay?" Will asked, frowning.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Alistair said, looking away. As he did, he caught Cami's gaze, who gestured wildly in what Alistair assumed was an approximation of him confessing his crush to Will.

But Alistair didn't have the courage to do that, so he only asked, "So, what happened in Hawkins while me and Rowan were gone?"

"Not a lot," Will answered, shrugging. 

"Oh," Alistair said.

"We did, uh, hear you two broke up," Will revealed, looking at Alistair and Cami.

Alistair and Cami looked at each other, before Alistair admitted, "Yeah, we did."

"Why? I thought you guys were going good," Will questioned, and Alistair liked to think he didn't imagine the hope flickering in Will's eyes.

"We just decided we weren't good romantically," Cami explained, leaning her arm on Alistair's shoulder as she grinned. "Platonically, however... we are the absolute dream team."

Alistair grinned back. "We are."

The two grinned at each other before Alistair questioned, "So... what else happened in Hawkins?"

Cami and Will looked at each other before Cami revealed, "We weren't the only ones who broke up."

Alistair's eyebrows raised. "Wait, really? Who?"

"Lucas and Max," Cami and Will said in unison. His ex and his crush gave each other a look before Will elaborated, "For a couple days. Then Lucas won back Max."

"Oh," Alistair said. "What else happened?"

Before his friends could say anything, Alistair heard his sister yell, "Oh my God, I missed you so much, Chris!", turning to see Rowan and Chrissy hugging, the strawberry blonde laughing. And while Alistair was happy to see Chrissy, he was frowning.

Where's Eddie? And Robin? Not to mention Valerie, Nancy and Jonathan?

And where are Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Max?

"Hey, uh," he said, looking at Will and Cami as he asked, "Where's everyone else?"

In unison, Cami's and Will's eyes widened and they shared a look—one that had Alistair grow suspicious—before looking back at him as Cami said, "They're not here!"

Alistair's eyebrows rose and Will shot Cami a look as she elaborated, "Well, not here, but I promise they're excited about you being back!"

Alistair's suspicion grew. "Okay. What are you guys not telling me?"

Again, Cami and Will shared another wide-eyed look, before Will said, "Look, we can't say anything. It's a surprise. You'll see when we get back home."

Alistair looked at his friends suspiciously, before shrugging.

"Okay," he said, and caught the relieved looks on Cami's and Will's faces before he heard Aunt Aco yelling they were heading back home, Alistair's suitcase in her hand. Fooled, in thinking he wasn't giving it up. But he wasn't.

I'm gonna make them crack and tell me what they're hiding.

***

Turns out, Alistair did not make them crack and find out what they were hiding.

He tried, pulling out all the cards, but Will, Cami and even Steve, who had taken Will and Cami up and was driving them back to Hawkins with Alistair in tow despite his grouching of "always being the goddamned babysitter", had kept their mouths shut despite Alistair's best efforts, leaving him to sulk between Cami and Will and have his mind drift, thinking about what the hell his friends were doing, what Rowan's friends were doing, about the dream, about what he had done in his test when he—

The minute he thought that, Alistair slammed the mental brakes on. No. He wasn't thinking about that, he refused to think about that. Especially when he was home, in Hawkins. He couldn't think about it.

Alistair looked over to Will, and his heart lurched at seeing how the light played across Will's face, how even with how stupid the bowl cut now was on Will, it still looked slightly adorable, and he wanted to lean over and kiss—

Alistair looked forward, trying to stem the blood rushing into his cheeks.

That was another thing he was not thinking about, not if he could help it. And especially not when Cami was eyeing him like that.

Oh God, I'm a mess, Alistair moaned inside his head, barely able to keep a grip when Will looked over and asked, "You okay, Al?"

"I'm fine," Alistair mumbled, fixing on a smile. "Absolutely peachy."

Will frowned, like he didn't believe Alistair, but he didn't push and looked away. Cami frowned as well and elbowed him in the side, obviously disapproving he'd squandered that chance again.

Well, sorry Cami that he's such a disaster and can't pluck up the courage to tell the boy he just realised he liked that he liked him that way!

Alistair only groaned instead, leaning back in his seat.

It was honestly a relief when they passed the Hawkins welcome sign and made the short drive to the trailer park. Something knotted inside Alistair that he hadn't noticed was knotted unravelled at the sight of his home, as Steve pulled up in front of the trailer. Alistair could already see Aunt Aco's car, arriving just before them.

They all poured out, Alistair catching an annoyed look on Steve's face as he and his sister gravitated toward each other—honestly, they were so obvious—as they talked to each other while Aunt Aco came over to where he, Will and Cami were standing by the trunk, popping it open and helping Alistair get his suitcase out, but not before she gave him a hair-ruffle, Alistair smiling at the affectionate gesture. He missed his aunt.

However, it seemed his aunt must have been listening in to Rowan and Steve's conversation, because right after she pulled the suitcase out, she asked, "Is Rowan trying to get you to fess up, rich boy?"

"Yeah," Steve admitted. His sister gaped at him before punching him in the arm.

"Ow!" Steve yelped as he rubbed it, and Alistair, Will and Cami snorted.

"Well don't. Stay strong," Aunt Aco said as she slammed the trunk down. Alistair looked over to her and innocently asked, "What is the surprise, Aunt Aco?"

"You and your sister are gonna find out, now come on," his aunt said, heading to the trailer.

Alistair caught his sister giving him a look, before they followed after Aunt Aco, their friends right behind them. As Aunt Aco opened the door, he turned to Cami and Will and asked, "Okay, guys, just please tell me what it is or—"

"WELCOME BACK GUYS!"

Rowan jumped and Alistair whirled around, his soul nearly exiting his body—and not in the way he wanted to show to his friends. But the fright evaporated when he registered the grinning faces of Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Eddie, Robin, Valerie, Nancy and Jonathan, holding a sign that read in large letters WELCOME BACK!!, his Party and Robin blowing party horns.

Alistair was stunned, before he was grinning.

"Oh my God, you guys!" his sister yelled as Alistair ran to his friends, crushed in a four-way hug that Will and Cami soon joined in, all seven of them laughing, wrapped in a tangle of limbs. And while Alistair loved it, it felt like his ribs were being broken in the process.

"Okay, guys, I love the hug, but I need my ribs uncrushed," Alistair wheezed out.

Like that, he was released from the hug, letting him see his friends, big grins on their faces.

"Oh man, we've missed you, Al!" Dustin declared, grinning widely.

"I've missed you too, guys," Alistair returned, smiling just as big. "I'm glad to be back."

"Glad to have you back, man," Mike said, grinning. 

"Yeah, Hawkins wasn't the same without you," Lucas pitched in, a smile across his face.

Alistair's smile only widened. "Thanks, guys."

He turned to Max and asked, "What about you, Mayfield? You missed me?"

Max snorted and rolled her eyes, muttering, "Pfft, as if," but she couldn't disguise her smile.

Alistair grinned. "Missed you as well, Max."

He pulled the redhead into a side-hug, and while Max glared at him, she was smiling as she said, "Okay, maybe I did miss you, ghost boy."

"Glad to hear I was, arcade queen," Alistair returned, and Max's grin widened.

When he and Max pulled away, Will asked, "So, what happened in Lynn? Did it go well with your family?"

"What are they like? Are they nice?" Cami questioned, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Do they also have, y'know... powers?" Lucas inquired, the question in a low whisper to avoid being overheard. When Alistair nodded, he said, "Cool. What are they?"

"And did you and Rowan get any more..." Dustin started, before he closed his mouth and looked at the four people who didn't know before mouthing, "Superpowers?"

"I'll tell you guys everything later. When it's less... crowded," Alistair answered, also eyeing Eddie, Chrissy, Robin and Valerie. He'd rather tell his friends now, maybe show them his new astral projection power, but it was too risky. Better to wait until his sister's friends left.

His friends nodded in understanding—though excitement to know about his family's superpowers and the new powers he and Rowan now had shone in their eyes—as Alistair looked at them, still smiling, Will said, "It's great you're back, Al. I—we missed you."

Alistair smiled, trying not to hope too much on that slip-up. "I've missed you guys, too. Lynn was great, but... it's great to be back home."

Alistair hoped when he said that, his friends would catch on that he meant them. The way they were smiling told Alistair they did.

"It's great to have you back," Mike said, smiling, Alistair returned it, glad that the rift had been healed—and especially glad that Max and Cami seemed to now be integrated into the Party, the hostility Mike had held toward them fading away. 

The dark-haired boy looked at Alistair and added, "We should do a campaign, now you're back."

Alistair's grin widened. "Oh God, yes!"

Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will soon grinned right back. That was another thing Alistair had missed—playing D&D. None of his cousins or the Cheongs knew or wanted to play, and even if they did... it wouldn't be the same.

It wouldn't be with his Party.

And as Alistair looked at them, at Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Max, Cami, Will, he knew they were it. His friends. His Party, now and forever. He would never abandon them, and they would never abandon him. They've all been through so much, fought monsters both literally and figuratively. They would never come apart, no matter what. And Alistair didn't mind. Not one bit.

However, after the decision to play a campaign to celebrate Alistair's return was finalised, that was the moment Mike, Lucas and Dustin decided to glomp Rowan in a hug, nearly tackling her to the floor.

"Hey gremlins, I missed you too, but don't crush me!" Rowan exclaimed, and Alistair stifled a chuckle, Max and Cami rolling their eyes in unison but they were smiling.

"Sorry, Rowan," Lucas apologised as he let go, nudging Mike and Dustin. Mike let go, too, but Dustin held on, yelling, "You're back!" before finally letting go.

"Yeah, I'm back. Did you gremlins think me and Al weren't?" Rowan questioned.

Immediately his friends stammered as Alistair sent a look with the same question to Will, Cami and Max. The guilty looks they had were answer enough.

Rowan laughed, before she said, "Relax I'm just teasing."

Mike, Lucas and Dustin visibly relaxed as his sister turned to Max and greeted, "Hey, Madmax. Want to give me a hug?"

Alistair caught the grin on Max's face before she hugged Rowan. Alistair mock-glared at her as Mike, Dustin and Lucas returned, mumbling, "Traitor."

Cami snorted and Will had his own grin as Rowan and Max reunited, until he heard his sister ask Max if Billy had given her or any of his friends any trouble—Max said no—and then asked her, "You and Cami remember what me and Aunt Aco said about the rules of fighting, right?"

Max—and Cami from where she was listening in—nodded as Max said, "Of course. Fight to win, no matter what, surprise is the best, use the asshole's size against him, and—"

"Anything can be used as a weapon," Max, Cami and Rowan said in unison. They shared a grin as Aunt Aco said with a note of pride, "That's precisely right, girls."

They all shared a grin before Rowan gave Max a side-hug, Cami turned back to Alistair and Will and Rowan turned to Jonathan and Nancy, and Max returned, just as Alistair, Lucas, Dustin, Mike and Will started talking of the campaign.

As they talked excitedly of it before moving onto what had happened in Hawkins while he and Rowan were gone—apparently, a mall was being built?—Alistair talking of Lynn and his wider family as much as he could without revealing too much, and then of how after this summer, they'd be in high school—and, for Alistair, the excitement of finally joining Hellfire—Alistair's eyes strayed to Will, at him smiling and looking happy—whether it was happiness of being free from the haunting of the Mind Flayer and the Upside Down, or that he was back, Alistair didn't know, but he liked seeing Will smile.

And, selfishly, Alistair hoped the smile was for him as he looked away.

Not noticing that every time he looked away, Will was looking at him.

***

Alistair sighed as he flopped back on his bed, exhaustion and the last dregs of happiness running through him.

It was hours after the large reunion and the smaller but just as joyful reunion between the Graveswood siblings and El—after giving the chief and El's adoptive father, Hopper, a heart attack. They were unpacked, Hugin was free and resting on his perch, and now ready for sleep.

While his dreams weren't ones he usually looked forward to, Alistair was glad to be asleep, feeling tiredness weigh him down, coaxing him to fall into darkness. As he closed his eyes, an elated smile graced his lips before he surrendered with the small wish that neither ghosts or whatever he had seen in his nap would haunt him in his sleep.

And that he was so happy to back in Hawkins, ready for the summer that he, Will, El, and the rest of his friends deserved after the past two years—a summer with no monsters, no possession, no Upside Down. A summer where Alistair's only worry would be hiding some secrets from those he loved, and how to tell Will he had a crush on him. A completely normal summer.

They deserved it. Alistair deserved it.

Didn't they?

***

Yeah, about that Alistair...

Ooh boy, this chapter FOUGHT me. But, I persevered, and I think I wrangled it well!

But the siblings are back in Hawkins! And reunited with everyone! Also, if most of the parts in this seem familiar... that's because it's Alistair's POV parallel to Rowan's of the same "day" that her chapter of this in Thunderstruck is. Expect there to be more paralleling chapters like this in the future

I will miss the Graveswoods (and Kate and Betty) They were fun (but the Graveswoods may or may not return...)

And yeah, Alistair is very much in full realisation of his crush and a complete disaster. But we still love him <3

I loved writing Alistair's reunion with the rest of the Party! Best part to write. I love these kids :3

And yeah, about the dream, the warning and the power Alistair's keeping hidden... 🤫

Also... WE'RE NOW ON S3 NEXT CHAPTER!!! Who's ready for the greatest (horrifying) summer ever??

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!