November 5th, 1984

Byers House

"This'll work." Hopper stated as we stood in front of the old shed behind my house. "Help me empty it out and have the others get some sheets to cover the walls. Will can't be able to recognize where he is." He stated as he threw open the door and went inside the shed.

Quickly making my way back inside, I found that everyone had walked back into the kitchen to wait for Hopper's decision.

"We need sheets to cover the walls, and then we'll need help setting up the shed, make it look unrecognizable to him." I said to Jonathan and Nancy while Steve made his way outside to help Hop. While Dustin, Lucas, and Mike stood from their seats at the table. "What can we do?" They asked at the same time.

"Stay inside?" I said awkwardly as Nancy and Jonathan left to gather the supplies for the shed. "What? No way." Lucas groaned while Dustin crossed his arms over his chest.

"If things are about to get serious, in other words dangerous. You guys shouldn't be around." I stated while Mike shook his head. "You know we know how to handle this. Besides, if we stayed out of the situation, no one would know what's going on in the first place."

Letting out a sigh of frustration, I nodded in agreement. "Okay, you aren't wrong. But now your help is needed in here, okay? You guys help by keeping watch and make sure Will doesn't wake up."

"Fine by me." Max stated with a smirk before walking into the living room. "If we need more help, I'll get you guys but for now this is all we need from you."

"Nell, let's go." Jonathan stated as he and Nancy walked into the kitchen, their arms full with sheets and tarps. "Just keep watch." I stated one last time before turning around to open the door for Jonathan and Nancy.

With the three of us walking towards the shed, I found that Steve and Hopper had made a massive junk pile in the middle of the backyard out of the boxes and equipment we left in the shed.

"Whoa! Careful!" I yelled at Hop as he threw a box full of my old art supplies on the ground. Next was the sound of a small table smacking into the pile. "We don't have time for careful." He stated as he went back inside the shed.

Rolling my eyes I grabbed a sheet from Jonathan and walked towards one of the windows while Nancy went inside the shed after Hopper.

"So you and Steve..." Jonathan muttered while I stapled the edge of the sheet over the window. "Jonathan, I really don't wanna argue right now." I stated, pulling the sheet tighter over the window.

"Me neither." He nodded, awkwardly shifting on his feet. "It's just crazy." He spoke again causing me to roll my eyes.

"Just as crazy as you and Nancy." I joked as I stapled the other side of the sheet. "Yeah but Nancys different. I mean Steve is okay, but he's... you know, Steve Harrington." He stated as I grabbed another sheet from him.

"Hey, he's different too," I mumbled as we walked towards the side of the shed. "So, are you two like together now?" His question caused me to shrug as I pulled the sheet over the window.

"I don't know. We haven't exactly had a chance to talk about it. A Shadow Monster and Demo-Dogs have kinda been in the way."

"Nellie, you and I both know what kind of guy he is. I don't want to see you get hurt." He said as I stapled down the sheet. "I won't. Besides, you only let yourself see the worst side of him. He isn't like that." I muttered as I grabbed another sheet.

"But is he worth taking the chance?" He asked as he walked past the door of the shed to find Nancy and Steve inside talking quietly to each other.

"What do you want me to say, Jonathan? I mean, I'm standing up for myself for once and going after what I want, can't you accept that?" I stated as I pulled the last sheet over the window. "I want you to be happy, Nell. I just don't want you to waste it on someone who doesn't deserve it."

"We need more sheets." A voice called, causing the both of us to jump. "Am I interrupting something?" Nancy asked as she rounded the corner of the shed.

"No." Jonathan and I answered at the same time, causing her to look at us skeptically. "I'm sure there's more drying on the lines." Jonathan stated before walking away from the two of us.

"So, you and Steve?" Nancy started slowly as she leaned against the shed. "Dear God. Not again." I rolled my eyes and went to walk past her.

"No, I swear I don't mean it the way you think I do." She said quickly, grabbing my shoulders to stop me in my place. "Before Jonathan and I left, I wasn't very fair to you."

"Fair? Nancy, I deserved how you treated me. I think I deserved worse, honestly." I stated as she removed her hands from my shoulders.

"No, you didn't. We've fought before so I should have talked it out with you. I shouldn't have said what I said that night." I shrugged looking down at my shoes. "You were drunk, and had every right."

"I shouldn't have ignored the issue and you entirely." Nancy tried to apologize but I cut her off by lightly grabbing her hand.

"Nance, not only do you not need to apologize, but this is also probably not the best time." I stated, letting out a light chuckle. "You're probably right about that, I'm gonna go get more sheets."

With the two of us splitting paths, I made my way back inside the house to find that the party had spread out. With Mike watching over Will in the living room, Dustin pacing up and down the hallway that connected the kitchen to the bedrooms, and Max and Lucas rummaging through the cabinets under the sink.

"I was gonna ask if you guys wanted to do something, but I see you're too busy." I said, leaning on the doorway.

The three boys' heads perked up while Max continued to read the label on the back of some can. "We aren't! What can we do?" Asked the three boys as they stood from their spots.

"We need more coverings for the walls, I don't think we have enough sheets so maybe get some newspaper and trash bags."

"I can do that." Dustin and Lucas said at the same time before giving the other a slight glare. "Then both of you work together." I stated, rolling my eyes at the boys' attitudes.

"Then Max and Mike, I need you guys to find supplies to keep Will restrained." The pair nodded while Dustin and Lucas made their way outside. "When you get everything, meet up in the shed."

~~~

After a little over an hour had passed, Dustin and Lucas had collected enough paper, scraps, and trash bags to cover the remaining parts of the bare walls.

While Max and Mike created two cardboard-covered chairs so that Will wouldn't be able to recognize them, along with ropes and tape to help keep things in place.

Hopper, Steve, and Nancy each took a wall to cover in whatever scraps we had while Mom gathered the chemicals that would wake Will up and if we had to, knock him out.

Leaving Jonathan and me to set up the light fixtures on the two posts that held the shed roof up in hopes that it would make the room seem less familiar and more daunting.

"I think it's done." Hopper stated as we all made our way outside the shed. "So here's what gonna happen." Hopper started, standing in front of us with his arms crossed over his chest.

"We don't know how dangerous this is going to be or if this will work, so you four are gonna stay away from the shed." Hopper stated pointing between Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Max.

"And you two, watch over them." He continued now pointing at Steve and Nancy. "I want to stay with Will." Mike states, stepping up to Hop. "Kid, we don't know how dangerous he is."

"Don't talk about him like he's a monster. Will's still in there." I stated, standing next to Mike. "We don't know that. We don't know anything." Hopper retorted, dropping his arms to his side. "I know he stills remembers me. I'm staying with him." Mike stated, crossing his arms.

Looking between the two of us, Hopper crossed his arms tightly before shaking his head. "Fine. Behave." He stated before stomping into the house to grab Will.

With the group dispersing into either the house or the shed, Steve carefully grabbed my hand and pulled me to the side.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, surprised by his action. "Of course." He said, shaking his head, still holding my hand in his. "I'm sorry I got you dragged into all of this. You can go home and enjoy the rest of your night, you've already helped so much."

"What? No, absolutely not. I want to be here for you." Slightly shocked by his words, I held his hand a bit tighter as I smiled up at him. "I know this is a lot for you, so I just wanted you to know I'm here for you."

"I know you are." I stated, leaning up to give him a peck on the lips. "Now get inside before Hopper yells at us." I joked as I looked over to watch Hopper kick the door open, holding a still unconscious Will. Letting go of each other, we parted ways.

Opening the shed door for Hopper, he nodded a thank you in my direction before carefully placing Will in his chair. Grabbing a rope, Hop wrapped it around Wills body and the pole behind his chair.

"Are you ready?" Hop asked mom as he picked up a bottle of ammonia, pouring some of the chemicals into a cotton ball.

Nodding, she clasped her hand onto mine with a brutal grip. Placing the cotton under Will's nose, he was instantly woke.

Groggily, Will lifted his head to look at all of us. "What? What is this?" He whispered, going to move from his seat only to find that he was stuck. "What is this? Why am I tied up?" He raised his voice now completely awake and growing agitated.

Letting go of my hand, mom walked up to Will until she could kneel in front of him. "Will, we just want to talk to you. We're not gonna hurt you." She spoke calmly, but Will seemed to only stare through her with cold, black eyes.

"Where am I?" He jerked in his seat again, as Hopper walked towards him. "You recognize this?" He asked as he held up the drawing Will had made of the Shadow Monster.

"Do you?" He asked again as Will stared down at the paper confused before slowly shaking his head. "We just want to help you. But to do that, we have to understand how to kill it." Mom spoke again, grabbing his attention.

"Why am I tied up?" He yelled. Jerking in his seat, Hopper held him back by his shoulder. "Why am I tied up? Why am I tied up?" He continued yelling, thrashing in his chair, fighting against Hopper.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" He screamed as the lights began to flicker on and off above our heads. "Let me go! Let me go!" He continued, his voice seemed to shift from his own and into an unfamiliar dark tone.

Jumping at the sound of his voice, I placed my head into my hands to hide the tears that were growing in my eyes. "Let me go! Let me go. Let me go..." Slowly he grew tired while Jonathan pulled me into his side.

Pulling my head out of my hands, I found that Will sat glaring at mom, breathing heavily as she slowly backed away from him.