A LOW GROWLING INTERRUPTED Olivia and Mike's conversation, making them both jump.

Olivia and Steve were both on their feet in an instant.

"Dustin, what is it?" Steve walked over to the ladder leading to the skylight. Olivia could only see Max's red hair from the angle she was at.

"Hold on!" Dustin shouted. Olivia moved to stand beside Steve, staring up at the night sky above them. The growling became louder, getting closer to the bus than Olivia was comfortable with.

"I've got eyes!" Dustin shouted suddenly. His binoculars were pressed up against his face as he looked out at the sea of fog surrounding them. "Ten o'clock! Ten o'clock!"

Steve moved to the window, crouching to get a better look at through the tiny opening in between the metal reinforcement. "There."

"Holy shit," Olivia breathed. For once, the curse rolled right off her tongue. Her eyes widened in awe and horror as she watched a small, slimy, dog-like creature creep its way into the clearing across the junkyard.

"What's he doing?" Mike stood next to the two teenagers, staring at the creature.

"I don't know," Steve said, narrowing his eyes.

Low chittering echoed around them, and Olivia felt chills run down her spine.

"Wait," Max said from above them. "You sure that's not a dog?"

"Do you see it's face?" Mike scoffed, glaring at her. "Why are you even here if you don't believe us?"

"I believe everything Dustin has told me," Max insisted. "Why don't you go back to bed if you're too grumpy to interact with people?"

"Shut up!" Steve barked over his shoulder.

The demogorgon circled around the pile of meat rather slowly, as if examining it. After a moment, it didn't give it a second glance.

"He's not taking the bait," Mike said, sounding scared. "Why is he not taking the bait?"

"Maybe he's not hungry?" Olivia suggested weakly.

"Maybe he's sick of cow," Steve grunted. He leaned over and grabbed his spiked baseball bat, moving towards the door.

"Steve?" Dustin leaned down through the skylight. "Steve, what are you doing? Steve?"

Steve ignored him, leaning sideways to crank open the door when Olivia stopped him.

"Wait," Olivia grabbed him, feeling a sudden pang of fear. "What are you doing?"

"Someone has to get that thing," Steve said. There was nothing but confidence and bravery in his eyes, and Olivia took a moment to admire it before speaking again.

"Well, I'm coming too," she insisted. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing the cuffs on her arms.

"Are you kidding?" Steve scoffed. "After everything that happened last night? No way. I'm not letting you take anymore risks."

"That's not up to you," Olivia said hotly. "My choice. Remember how important you keep saying that is? That it's my choice?"

Steve ran his hands through his hair. "Yes- I did, but- I wasn't talking about getting yourself killed!"

"So you're going to get killed now?" Olivia demanded.

"Stay. Here." Steve looked at Mike, who was standing behind them, looking torn. "Wheeler, don't let her go anywhere."

Without another word, Steve slid open the door of the bus and climbed out into the fog.

Olivia waited until the door was shut behind him before kicking the driver's seat angrily. Her face felt flushed as she felt Mike Wheeler's hand holding her arm.

"What the HELL is he doing?! " Olivia hissed. as she moved back to the peephole. Anxiety coursed through her like it was in her veins.

"Expanding the menu," Mike whispered in realization.

"Come on, buddy." Steve was slowly swinging his baseball bat back and forth, like a pendulum. "Come on, buddy. Come on. Dinner time. Human tastes better than cat, I promise."

"He's insane!" Max whisper-hissed.

"He's awesome," Dustin grinned.

Steve was face to face with the creature now, his knees bent and shoulders squared. What he didn't see was the other two creatures creeping up behind him.

"Steve, watch out!" Dustin shouted from the roof.

"A little busy here!" Steve called back, sounding annoyed.

"He's not going to see them in time," Olivia realized, the blood draining from her face. She made a move for the door before Mike Wheeler grabbed her hand, yanking her back.

Olivia spun around, her hair flying behind her as she made furious eye contact with her best friend's little brother.

"Let go," she said in a dangerously low voice. Her eyes flashed and Mike let go quickly, recoiling in fear.

A newfound bravery had overtaken her now. She flung open the door, rolling up her sleeves as she stepped off the bus, shutting the door behind her.

Steve had just enough time to turn and see her, opening his mouth furiously, before one of the creatures in between the two of them lunged at him.

Olivia thrust her hand out and sent out a shock wave into the void, feeling the ground beneath her feet tremble dangerously. The creature fell through mid air and crashed back into the ground, whining.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Steve bellowed. The monster closest to him chose that moment to run at him, but Steve was prepared. He whacked it in the face with the bat, the nails tearing into its face. An eerie wail echoed through the junkyard.

Olivia sent another blast to the baby demogorgon on the ground, hearing its ribs crack. When she was sure it was dead, she blew the hair from her face. "You're welcome!"

"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!" Mike screamed from the bus behind them.

Olivia turned around, barely finding her footing before coming face to face with a demogorgon. The thing lunged at her and she threw her hands up in front of her face, firing into its face.

Steve grunted from a few feet away and Olivia looked over, just in time to see him somersault over an abandoned car. He smacked a dog in side with his bat, sending it flying to the ground.

Steve made eye contact with Olivia and sighed heavily, seemingly realizing that she wasn't going to go back inside the bus anytime soon. Then his eyes widened. "Holy shit."

Olivia's chest clenched with panic when she realized how many demogorgons there really were. She could barely see them over the fog; the things were just tall enough to have their spines and the tops of their heads visible.

But a moment later, Olivia realized what was off about them.

They were all heading towards her.

"Why are they doing that?" Steve said with gritted teeth.

"They know I opened the Upside Down," Olivia realized with horror. She watched as the things slowly approached them. She didn't dare move, lest she excite them.

Steve started to run towards her but she held out a hand frantically, making him freeze half- step. Her back was to the bus where the kids sat, her instinct to protect them overpowering everything else.

"Don't!" She hissed. "I've got it!"

Suddenly three of the demogorgons leapt at her at once, making Steve cry out, "NO!"

Olivia had a split second to make sure that Steve was off to her side and that the bus wasn't behind her before raising her hands.

Focus, One.

She fired.

There was a deafening BOOM as the air warped into destruction. A wave of pure power made its way into the forest, knocking down trees. and sending the demogorgons flying into the air, their bones shattering. The monsters' unearthly shrieks were distorted by the blast, shrill and unnerving.

The kids in the bus behind her gasped and Steve let out a loud, bellowed curse as he stumbled backwards, hands over his head.

It took a moment for the shock to wear off before the realization of the damage registered. Dead demogorgons, overturned ground, trees knocked over- Olivia had done that.

Her vision suddenly went blurry, splotches of black lining her sight. Her legs buckled, making her fall onto one knee.

"Holy shit," Dustin cried from the bus behind her.

Holy shit was right.

Olivia gasped for air, all the energy sucked out of her. She splayed a palm on the ground, trying to balance herself. She had done that.

"Olivia!"

Someone fell to their knees in front of her. Warm hands cupped her face, and warm brown eyes settled onto hers. Steve's lips were parted with panic as he searched her for injury.

Olivia let out a completely exhausted laugh. "We did it."

"Why didn't you stay on the bus?" Steve asked in a pained voice.

Olivia stared into his eyes, flickering back and forth between them, a grin spreading across her face slowly. "I saved your ass."

Steve stared at her, his mouth dry. "I know. It was really hot."

"It's freezing, Steve" Olivia wheezed. "What do you mean-"

Suddenly Steve lunged forward, almost knocking her onto her back. Olivia had barely enough time to let out a squeal of surprise before a Steve's lips crashed onto hers.

For a moment Olivia's hands came off the ground, hovering near her hips as she leaned into him. She had no idea what to do, her brain empty with no palpable thoughts.

Steve abruptly pulled away, his eyes wide. Olivia gulped in a breath, her chest tight from lack of air, and stared at him.

"I'm sorry," Steve panted, running a hand through his hair. "I'm stupid-"

"Shut up," Olivia breathed. She moved forward so quickly that Steve didn't have time to react.

The pair fell to the ground, Olivia's arms propped up on either side of Steve's head as their lips locked again. Steve's hands clasped her face, pulling her towards him. It was like fire in her veins; pure ecstasy.

He tasted like strawberry chapstick and something else Olivia couldn't place, but whatever it was, it was perfection. His lips were so soft and moved so passionately, moving into her and making her limbs become weak. Fireworks erupted in her stomach as she leaned even closer, the exhaustion of her powers leaving her body and replacing itself with something far more beautiful-

"IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!"

Olivia's eyes snapped open and she fell into Steve's chest. She rolled onto her side, Steve's hand still tangled in her hair, looking up in bewilderment.

Dustin Henderson stood in the doorway of the bus, looking so gleeful that Olivia blushed. He was staring at the pair of them as they gasped, chests heaving, a mess of tangled limbs in the fog.

"Feeling the electricity, Steve?" Dustin grinned. Olivia's eyebrows furrowed, her lips feeling swollen and tingly. 

She looked at Steve for an explanation, and saw his face was cherry red.

"Your ass is grass, Henderson," Steve grumbled. He clambered onto his feet, holding out a gentle hand to help Olivia do the same. She stood up, still feeling a little dizzy, but steady.

Steve pulled Olivia close, his hands hovering near her waist. His eyes kept darting down to her lips. She was smiling widely, looking into his eyes. 

Steve licked his lips, his mouth feeling rather dry. "Is this... is this okay? Can I do this?"

Olivia leaned forward and pressed another sweet kiss to his lips. Steve sank into her touch, smiling against her lips.

"You can," Olivia murmured, pulling away a tiny bit, just enough to look up into his eyes. She couldn't deny what she saw in them. 

"You guys?" Max sounded confused.

"What's up?" Steve called up to her, tearing his eyes away from Olivia.

"There were a whole bunch more of those monster things, but now they're all leaving." Max looked down at them from the roof of the bus, where she had climbed to use Dustin's binoculars. 

"What?" Olivia frowned, exchanging a look with Steve.

"Do you think Ollie scared them off?" Mike suggested, popping his head out of the doors next to Dustin. 

"Nah," Steve shook his head, walking towards the bus. He took the binoculars from Max and looked out into the rolling hills of fog, scanning the area. "They're running to something."

"Let's follow them, then." Olivia stood tall, her dark eyes reflecting the flashlights the boys carried. Her hair swayed in the gentle wind, seeming to glow in the moonlight. She made eye contact with Steve, who was sitting up on top of the bus, smiling adoringly at her.

He blinked as if coming out of a trance and then disappeared for a moment, emerging from the bus doors a minute later. He walked over to her, the kids following suit, whispering among each other.

Steve held out his hand to Olivia, smiling widely. "Let's go."

"Really?" Olivia stammered. "You're not going to tell me to be no? You're not going to tell me to be careful?"

Steve just looked at her. 

"I trust you," he said simply. "And besides, you can hold your own. I mean, you just blew up an entire forest, so..."

"It was awesome," Max said and she, Dustin, and Mike approached them. Olivia noticed the sideways glances Mike was shooting his two friends, almost disgusted. Max was completely oblivious to the dislike, or maybe she genuinely didn't care. Either way, Olivia admired her.

"Yeah, it was," Mike rolled his eyes, "but we really need to follow those things."

Steve frowned. "Alright, kid. Keep your pants on."

"That's great, coming from the guy who banged my sister." Mike snarled.

Olivia gaped at the small boy as he got up, shot Steve and Max separately nasty looks, and started to walk off into the night, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

The group slowly followed suit. Steve and Olivia still had their fingers intertwined, and she felt like she was in heaven. She had dreamt about kissing his lips for so long, and now that she had finally done it, she didn't know how she had survived without them before.

"He hates me," Steve said miserably.

Olivia had been concentrating on their hands- wondering if she was holding too tight, or why her hands were so small compared to his, if they were sweaty- but the anxiety in his voice made her snap up.

"Mike?" Olivia asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah," Steve muttered. "I don't know why I care so much, but... I mean, I like the kid. He didn't used to hate me so much."

"He's hurting," Olivia said, watching Mike. He was walking ahead of them with an angry gait, ignoring Dustin and Max who walked a few feet behind him, smiling and laughing to each other.

"Hurting?" Steve repeated. 

"Yes," Olivia nodded. "He... misses Eleven. El. He's sad."

Steve looked at her for a moment, squeezing her hand. "You guys have a good talk?"

"Yes," Olivia said, smiling sadly. "He told me why Will is so different around me. It's not because he hates me. It's because he thinks I blame him for her... her death."

"Do you?" Steve questioned. He wasn't prying- it was a genuinely curious question.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It was my fault, remember? I opened the gate. I made her escape too soon."

There was a heavy silence for the next several minutes. Olivia had become aware of the brown leaves crunching underneath their feet, making a satisfying noise. Olivia found herself shifting slightly ever now and then to step on a pile. Steve just went along with it, grinning at her excitement.

"What?" Olivia giggled as she looked up at Steve, who had just laughed.

"Nothing," he said, his eyes shining. "It's just... cute."

"What's cute?" Olivia frowned. "The leaves?"

"No, you weirdo," Steve rolled his eyes playfully. "You."

Olivia felt herself blushing, but she couldn't hide the smile on her face. Steve Harrington thought she was cute.

"Thanks?" She offered. "You- you're cute too."

Steve's smile outshined the moon.  "Why, thank you. I try."

"I know," Olivia said bluntly. "You're always touching your hair. But that- that's cute."

They were almost at the lab now, where the creatures had run off to. Moonlight reflected off the several satellites on the roof, the lights inside shining over the trees. Olivia felt anxiety in the pit of her stomach when she remembered the wins were still in there.

She and Steve approached the kids, who had started to argue. Mike and Dustin yelled at each other before Mike shoved a finger in Max's face, shouting something about "zoomer" and "no new party members" before Max smacked it away.

"Hey!" Steve let go of Olivia's hand, and she immediately missed it's warmth. He made his way over to the kids and shined the flashlight in Dustin's eyes, making the kid lean away, looking offended. "That's enough! I'm not getting paid for this shit."

"You put the party in jeopardy! You broke the rule of law!" Mike ignored Steve, gesturing wildly at Dustin.

"So did you!" Dustin bellowed.

"What?" Mike glared at him. "Okay- just because-"

"Not, there's no buts, asshole!" Dustin yelled. "We both broke the rule of law, okay? These are weird circumstances! So we're even. We're even."

"No, no! We're not even. Don't even try that. Your stupid pet could have ate us for dinner!" 

"That was not my fault!" Dustin protested.

Olivia heard a voice from the side and whirled around, her hair flying into her face. She narrowed her eyes as she stared towards the edge of the woods. "Guys?"

The kids kept bickering. 

"Guys!" Olivia bellowed.

There was a low rumbling and the nearby trees shook slightly, reflecting Olivia's frustration. The group immediately stopped talking and turned to her, eyes wide.

Steve was the first to hear it too. His eyes narrowed and he walked over to Olivia, staring off into the direction of the monster's screeching. They had found them.

Dustin and Mike exchanged glances, and suddenly the feud was temporarily forgotten. A hardened look dawned on the party's faces and they trudged forward without another word, preparing themselves for whatever nightmare they were about to encounter.

"No, no, no." Max waved her hands around, her red hair cascading over her green jacket. "Hey, guys, why are you headed towards the sound? Hello? Hello? Shit."

The group ignored her as Olivia and Steve broke through the trees first. Olivia's hands were free and hovering near her waist. Steve held his flashlight up with a clenched jaw, shifted slightly towards the girl he loved.

Olivia's jaw dropped when she saw who had been making the noise. They noticed her at the same time, visibly just as shocked to see her there.

"Ollie?" Nancy Wheeler said in disbelief. Her curly hair was pulled into a messy half- up, half- down ponytail and she wore just enough makeup to look sweet and innocent. Her stance gave her away, though, and her best friend immediately knew something was wrong. 

"Steve?" Jonathan stared at the taller boy, looking thoroughly confused. 

"Nancy?" Steve sounded almost starry-eyed, making Olivia feel a pang of guilt when she realized that she was going to have to tell Nancy about everything that had happened between her and Steve.

"Jonathan," Dustin finished half-heartedly from behind them.

"What are you doing here?" Jonathan snapped out of his trance and rushed over to his older sister, grabbing Olivia's shoulders and looking her up and down. There was obvious relief when he saw she wasn't seriously injured, although he frowned at the cuffs on her arms and the bruising on her knuckles.

"Later," Olivia promised. Jonathan hesitated, but then eventually nodded, recognizing that there were bigger priorities.

"What are you doing here?" Steve demanded of Nancy.

His ex- girlfriend stared at him. "We're looking for Caroline and Will."

Mike went pale. "They're not in there, are they?"

Nancy's eyes flickered to her little brother, seeing him for the first time. She gave him a sympathetic and relieved look, a mix of thankfulness that he was okay, but sadness that he had to be involved. "We're not sure."

Wait," Jonathan said slowly, recognizing the looks of horror on everyone's faces. "Why?"

Right on cue, there was a loud, monstrous screech echoing from the lab. Olivia felt the blood drain from her face and she saw the lights suddenly go out, plunging them into darkness.

"No," Mike moaned. The lights began to flicker on and off on different levels of the laboratory.

"I need to go," Olivia realized. She made eye contact with Steve and the two of them locked gazes, having a silent battle.

"No," Steve said quietly. 

"Steve," Olivia took his hand again and held it firmly. "I need to go."

"What is she talking about?" Nancy demanded. She turned to Olivia. "What are you talking about?"

"You're not going in there," Jonathan said, sounding horrified. 

"I don't have a choice," Olivia stared at her brother, pleading that he would understand. "Callie and Will are in there. So is Mom. And Bob, and Hopper. Someone has to. They can't do it alone."

"Livvie, please," Steve begged. Olivia felt a jolt of sadness when she saw his lip quiver just slightly.

"I'll come back, okay?" Olivia promised. She felt like crying herself. "I'll come back and I'll have WIll and Callie, and they'll be safe, alright? I promise."

Promise.

The word echoed in Olivia's mind as she stared into Steve's eyes, the two of them making a silent exchange. 

Eleven used to say that a lot. She used to make us promise when we'd say something. It was really important to her.

"Promise," Steve repeated. He leaned his head forward and pressed their foreheads together softly, making her eyes shutter closed.

Unable to keep herself from crying any longer, Olivia pulled away and nodded to her brother. 

Then she turned on her heel and ran towards the lab, her feet pounding on the pavement as she approached the massive double doors of the entrance. 

The screeching only got louder as she came closer. By the time she opened the doors and flung herself inside, she could hear nothing but the monster's screams, echoing in and out, disorienting her.

She froze, just inside the doorway, when she realized she had come face to face with her worst nightmare.

A demogorgon stood directly in front of her, with it's large flowered mouth and creepy, slimy skin.

What had she gotten herself into?

STEVE AND OLIVIA FINALLY DID IT. THEY FINALLY KISSED. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE TWEET.

no but seriously, i love their dynamic. steve is really trusting her now and letting her do her own thing, and she's turning into kind of a badass.

next chapter is fucking insane so stay tuned! For Better or Worse is going to be the next updated, and it's going to have Olivia in it quite a bit, so keep an eye out there too! IT'S IMPORTANT.