HAWKINS, INDIANA — 1985.

     "CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION?"

Steve glanced up at Theresa as they sat across from each other on the bathroom floor. He nodded his head at once to answer her.

Tess shifted a little and glanced down at the floor, picking at her nails.

"How is it so easy for you? To just..."

She trailed off, Steve knitting his brows with some confusion. "To what?"

Giving a small, nervous laugh, Theresa pushed herself up a little straighter. She was not sure how to word her question.

"To be able to tell someone that you... that you love them."

Steve slowly began to smile, rubbing his nose. "It's easy, when you really love them."

Tess began to nod, resting her arms around her knees as she pondered that.

"When do you know?"

Steve adjusted himself, raising a shoulder. "Well... it's a feeling. It starts really deep down, at first. And then one day you just look at them, and it hits you. Like– like this huge, overwhelming wave of so much happiness that you don't know what to do with it."

He brought his eyes to meet hers. Theresa had a racing heart, pressing her lips into a smile.

"I wish it could be that easy for me," she softly whispered, her eyes never leaving his. "I've never been good at telling people how I feel."

Steve gave a quiet laugh. "You're improving."

She dropped her head, grinning for a moment. Once Tess looked back up at him, she realized that she felt that feeling in which Steve had been describing. That overwhelmingly beautiful wave of happiness.

"Can I tell you why I love you?"

Theresa raised her eyebrows, unable to respond before Steve was continuing.

"The first thing I ever noticed about you was how confident you were," Steve said, leaning his head against the stall. "Even as a middle school girl, you didn't take shit from anyone. You were smart, and you knew it. And deep down, I always told myself I'd never have a chance with you– it was stupid to even think that. Anyway, the second thing I noticed about you was how everyone would immediately look at you when you walked into a room. Like we all just knew that you were better than us."

She cut him off with a laugh, rolling her eyes lightheartedly. Steve halfway grinned, continuing again.

"The third reason I love you is because I knew you would never put up with my bullshit. Everything I did in high school, the giant asshole that I was– I'd probably still be one if you hadn't made me realize how much of an idiot I was being."

"To be fair, we were both assholes," Tess interjected, giving him a smile.

Steve nodded. "Yeah. We were."

He drew in a breath. "And, the biggest reason that I love you... is because you were just as lonely as I was."

Theresa furrowed her eyebrows, tilting her head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean– I've never had a real friend. No one's ever made me laugh as much as you, no one has ever made me feel like I could just be myself except for you. So I guess what I'm saying is, you came into my life at a time where I really needed you. Even if it was just infatuation at first, I really started falling in love with you. And I never want to lose you again."

When Steve looked up at her again, there were tears streaming down Theresa's face. His eyes widened, slightly alarmed, wondering if he had said something wrong.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Steve scooted closer, cupping her chin as she wiped her tears away and sniffled.

Tess smiled, tilting her head as she met his eyes.

"Nothing at all."

She inhaled a shaky breath, bringing a hand up through Steve's hair.

"I just really, really love you."

Steve could have sworn his heart was about to explode, wiping Theresa's tears away with his thumb as she placed her hands on either side of her.

"But I need to say something," she inhaled sharply, pushing loose strands of hair out of her face.

Steve slightly frowned, growing concerned.

"I need to apologize," Theresa said firmly, Steve immediately shaking his head.

"No, you don't have to–"

"Yes," she cut him off, holding his gaze, "I do. Steve, I treated you terribly, and you can't pretend that I didn't. I know you aren't perfect, but you didn't deserve the way I used you."

Steve shook his head again. "Tess–"

"Let me finish," she interrupted once more. "Please. Just let me apologize."

He tightened his lips with a deep sigh, but he allowed Theresa to keep going.

"I took advantage of you," her voice wavered. "And I never should have done that. I was just so... damn selfish. Not to mention, terrible at communicating my feelings."

She broke off with a laugh, Steve chuckling softly as well. He rested his arm over his knee, looking up at Tess.

"So I guess all I'm saying is, please forgive me for how fucking stupid I was. For not seeing that you changed me for the better until, like– a week ago."

Steve knit his brows, reaching out and grabbing her hand. "Are you kidding? Of course I forgive you, Tess. You could stab me twenty times and I'd still forgive you."

"Shut up," she shoved a hand in his face playfully, grinning at Steve as they both laughed.

Just then, the bathroom door burst open. Robin, Dustin and Erica walked in, the other two looking up at them with surprised expression.

"Okay, what the hell?" Dustin placed his hands on his hips.

Theresa giggled a bit, climbing to her feet. "You're starting to act like Steve," she remarked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

She opened the bathroom door slightly, peering out. Tess knew there was a high chance of Russian guards still being on the lookout for them.

"Is it clear?" Steve questioned, Theresa narrowing her eyes as she looked through the crowd exiting the movie theater.

"I don't know. I guess we'll just have to blend in."

She slipped out of the bathroom, the rest of them following and keeping their heads low. Steve's busted up face and Theresa's bruised nose sticking out like a sore thumb.

"Well that worked," Erica muttered, following closely beside Tess.

"Duh," Theresa replied. "Now, I've gotta get you home."

Erica scoffed. "What? No way! After everything that just happened?"

Steve winced as he remembered something just then.

"Yeah, Dustin, you might not wanna go home. I told them your full name."

Dustin turned his head to Steve, wide-eyed. "What? Why!"

"I was drugged!" Steve defended, throwing up his hands.

Tess suddenly stopped walking, Robin bumping into her from behind.

"What are you doing–"

"We have to abort mission," Theresa interrupted, gesturing her head to the side. A few yards away from them, two men dressed in all black stood at the exit checking ticket stubs of the moviegoers now leaving.

She took a few steps back, blindly pushing anyone in arm's reach in the opposite direction. "Let's go, now please!"

Theresa started running, knowing the men had seen them and were now in pursuit. The group reached the escalators, which were of course blocked off.

"Shit," she looked around, then looked between the two escalators and formulated an idea. "Erica, Dustin! Slide."

They did not question anything this time, doing as she said. Robin went after them, then Tess, and then Steve. They had to find a place to hide, and quick.

Theresa grabbed Erica's hand as soon as she hit the floor, sprinting through the food court as she frantically tried to find a place for all of them to hide.

"Over here!" Steve whisper-shouted, waving an arm as he ran around a counter to a cookie store. Tess wanted to protest and try to find a better place, but there was not enough time.

They all ducked behind the counter, sitting closely as they held their breath. Theresa was unsure of how many men were out there looking for them, but part of her felt confident that they could take them. If only she had her gun, or any kind of weapon for that matter.

Erica squeezed Theresa's hand tightly, all five of them trying to hold their breath as they heard some people moving around in the food court. Their hearts were all pounding out of their chests.

Tess slid her other hand into Steve's, closing her eyes as she tried to breathe shallowly.

Then, the sound of a car alarm set off, startling all of them. Theresa and Steve exchanged a look of confusion, trying to figure out what the hell was happening.

They could not see any of the events that took place next, but they all heard it. A loud crashing noise, prompting the group to all get up and peek over the counter to try and figure out what was going on.

There were four men on the floor, and the shiny red car that had been on display seconds ago now overturned all the way across the food court.

Tess immediately knew who had done that. She turned her eyes upward, looking at the balcony above them to see a girl standing there. A bunch of other people ran up, all familiar faces that Theresa had never been so happy to see.

She broke into a grin at the sight of Eleven, giving a small shake of her head.

"That's my girl."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

THERE WERE MANY QUESTIONS BEING exchanged between the two groups as they met up, but not enough time to answer them.

Along with Eleven were Lucas, Max, Mike, Will, Jonathan and Nancy.

"Tess? Erica?" Lucas ran up to his sisters, wildly puzzled. "What are you guys doing here? And what happened to your face?" He nodded at the eldest Sinclair.

Theresa curtly rolled her eyes. "We've been stuck in a top secret Russian military base since yesterday. I'm lucky all I got was a bloody nose."

She turned to Eleven. "Speaking of bloody noses," Tess started to smile as El did the same. "That was badass."

Robin, who had been quiet until now, finally said something. "I-I don't understand what just happened to that car."

"El has superpowers," Dustin abruptly explained.

"I'm sorry?"

"Superpowers," Steve cut in. "She threw it with her mind. Come on, catch up."

Erica raised her eyebrows, pointing to Eleven. "That's El?"

"Who's El?" Robin questioned frantically.

Nancy cut in, "I'm sorry– who are you?" She pointed at Robin.

"I'm Robin, I work with Steve."

"She helped me translate the Russian code," Theresa informed Nancy and Jonathan.

"Yeah, which is how we found out about the Russians in the first place," Steve added.

Jonathan furrowed his brows. "Russians? Wait– what Russians?"

"The Russians!" Steve gestured to the men sprawled out on the floor.

Max blinked. "Those were Russians?"

Theresa threw her head back in frustration, placing a hand to her temple.

"Okay, everyone shut up!"

They all stopped talking, looking to her as she huffed. Tess pointed to Nancy.

"Where have you guys been?"

"Fighting the Mind Flayer," she responded.

Theresa arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Mike rolled his eyes. "The Mind Flayer, remember? It's back, and it's got an army now."

"What kind of army?"

"The Flayed," Lucas explained. "It got Billy. And some other people."

Tess frowned, glancing at Max. "Billy? As in Billy Hargrove?"

They all nodded. At that moment, there was a thud to Theresa's right as she turned her head, eyes widening as she realized Eleven had just collapsed to the floor.

Mike was the first to get to her, kneeling by the girl's side. Tess pushed her way through, squatting down.

"What happened to her?"

"My leg, my leg," Eleven winced in pain.

Tess shifted down closer to where El was pointing, gesturing for everyone to move out of the way. She and Nancy peeled back the bloodied bandages, seeing a deep wound in her calf.

"How did this happen?"

"The Mind Flayer," Mike replied.

Something suddenly began moving underneath Eleven's skin, everyone gasping as El cried out. Tess had no idea what to do, because whatever that was, was something she had never seen before.

Mike called Eleven's name as she squeezed her eyes shut, letting out a bloodcurdling, agonizing scream.

Theresa looked up. "Someone go find me a knife and some gloves. Use a lighter or a stove and make the knife as hot as you can."

They all stared at her for a moment, Tess snapping.

"Now!"

Jonathan stood up, racing through the food court to find the items Theresa requested. She seemed to be the most calm out of all of them, taking many deep breaths as she tried to help El get comfortable.

"Just hang on, okay?" Tess examined her leg as something continued moving underneath the skin, squirming around through the gash.

She glanced up to see where Jonathan was. He finally returned after what felt like forever, handing her a pair of clear plastic gloves. Tess put them on her clammy hands as fast as she could, raising her head.

"I need a belt. Does anyone have a belt?"

"Here," Nancy undid her own belt, handing it over.

Theresa took it and folded it over, handing it to Mike. "Put this in her mouth."

She reached up, taking the knife from Jonathan at that moment. Her heart was racing, but Tess knew they needed to get that thing out of Eleven. Positioning herself at El's feet, Theresa looked up at the girl.

"It's gonna hurt, but just hold on, alright?"

El nodded quickly, Theresa tightening her grip on the kitchen knife. She tried to keep her hands steady as she brought the searing blade to El's leg, making a cut through the skin. Eleven screamed while everyone watched in horror, but Tess remained focused. She let the knife clatter to the floor at once, biting down on her tongue as she hesitated.

Her eyes darted up to El, then she dug her fingers into the open wound. The group all gagged as Theresa tried to find the small parasite and remove it, but the thing seemed to be moving away from her. Eleven finally spat the belt out of her mouth, unable to tolerate anymore pain.

"Stop, stop!"

Tess immediately did, El forcing herself upright as she gasped. "I can do it," she weakly muttered, panting. "I can do it."

They all watched as Eleven moved her hand to to her leg, hovering above the open wound for a moment as the creature began to writhe. El was using what seemed like every ounce of her power to try and get that thing out of her, and all the others could do was watch. She struggled, but the little creature finally succumbed to Eleven's power as she gave a piercing scream, the glass window behind her shattering. El swung her arm, sending the thing flying across the room as she got it out of her.

Theresa let out a sigh of relief, relaxing her body. Just then, she heard footsteps, looking over her shoulder.

Finally, the adults had arrived.

notes.
the battle of starcourt is coming!

tess really took doctor to a whole other level,, maybe she should become a surgeon instead???

can't wait for my lil max & tess moment next chapter, i'm petitioning for theresa and steve to adopt her

theresa finally saying i love you? i mean, she's said it in a bunch of different ways before now, but this is the first time she's ACTUALLY said it. i'm so proud of her and how far she's come, especially with the fact that she even apologized to steve and owned up to her mistakes. that's the biggest girlboss move fr

season 3 is almost over 😣 but that's okay because season 4 is what i'm most excited to write

how would y'all feel if i introduced a new character for next season?