Nowhere to go, I’m Out on my Own

by crimson_rogue

Summary:

They thought it was over. They were wrong. Doctors, Russians, and the Upside Down are waiting.

Can El overcome her loss of powers? Can Will figure out his nightmares?

Notes:

Back at it again. Here’s a longer fix.

Post season 3 fix-it fix. Hopper is alive and so is Billy

Chapter 1: Prologue

The ceiling was dripping blood. Little droplets that caught the light as they fell. Glittering like morbid diamonds in the dark, dank room. It wasn’t just the ceiling that bled however, dried rust colored stains littered the walls in a mosaic painting of death.

There was a smell that lingered here. Dark and unpleasant. It’s odor reminding him of something he just couldn’t place. The memory set there; gnawing at him. Festering, mocking. He knew if he could just place the smell everything else would fall into place. He could make sense of the fear and anxiety eating at him.

Thump, Thump,Thump.

Heavy footfalls echoed outside the door. Loud and sudden in the quiet of the room. Cold seeped in, chilling him to the bone. Memories and phantom pains overwhelmed him as he heard the telltale scrape of metal on metal. The muscles in his arms and torso cramping from strains he had never before felt.

He could hear voices but understanding them was pointless. The faint words were nothing but jibberish to his fuzzy ears. The yelp of pain however was as clear as could be.

”I promise I don’t know anything else. No! Stop please....”

The panicked cry carried down the hall. The desperation and fear easily recognizable in the young voice. There was one last shriek and that caused the flesh on the back of his neck to prickle.

He knew that voice. He knew that voice. He knew that-

Footsteps halted at the steel door. He could hear the whirling of the machinery’s locking mechanism and like earlier the scrape of metal on metal as the door inches open ever so slowly.

BANG

Will Byers eyes shot open at the loud crack of thunder. His heart racing, he threw his covers off as he set up in bed, arms flailing wildly before he caught his bearings and tried to calm down.

The rain came down in sheets outside. It echoed like little gunshots as it pelted the window.

The nausea and dread from the nightmare still clung to him, even though the dream itself had faded the instant he woke up.

Moving from his bed, he creeped over to the window. Through the torrential downpour he could just make out Hop’s truck and he wondered what time he’d made it home.

Behind him he could hear El murmur in her sleep. Just a quiet, quick exhale. He hoped it wasn’t a nightmare. Ever since the Flayer had nearly killed her at the mall her dreams had, predictably, been distressed. She never talked about them, but he knows it’s not only the Mind Flayer that haunts her. He’s seen how she looks at Max. Whatever transpired between El and Billy had left its mark on her. Just like the Upside Down had on him. It was probably why the bonded so easily. Two broken kids who like to guess whose near death trauma was gonna be the worst that night.

It was kinda sad actually. But it probably explained why they both gravitated to the two people that they did.

Grinding the heels of his palms into his eyes, Will heads back to bed. That’s when the glittering edge of a picture frame catches his eye. Moving to the dresser he bends down to grab the picture that had fell.

It’s a newer one of him and the guys -with Max and El. They’re standing in front of his house. All smiles and laughter. None of them besides Max are actually looking at the camera. It was a perfect picture of them together. Free and happy. Before the Flayed and Evil Russians.

Only now the picture was warped. The glass broken and busted over Dustin’s face. The broken glass seemingly embedded in his face and arms.

“I promise I don’t know anything else.”

A slow chill races through his body as he turns to eye the walkie on his nightstand. He’d feel pretty stupid if he woke Dustin up over nothing. But at the same time the need to hear Dustin’s voice was overwhelming. What was even scarier was the fact it wasn’t just the nightmare and rain that made him want to hear it. Sighing softly he placed the picture back on the dresser and got back in bed.

Everything would be better in the morning. Everything will make sense then. That’s what he kept telling himself as he laid down. Still, the dread never faded, and sleep never came.

*

 

“Amanda Paynor? Are you serious?”

“And what’s wrong with Amanda?”

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon. It was just him and Robin holding down the fort. Keith, thankfully, was off creeping out Kidd at the arcade.

It had been a good weekend thus far for Steve. He’d gotten lucky with Amanda the night before, his supervisor Jack had given him a raise and now he was hanging out with Robin before the big rush.

“You realize she’s a moron right? “ He watched her idly as she organized the candy rack. Personally he didn’t see the point of it. Kids were just gonna fuck it up later.

“Not really interested in her mind,” he drawled, “She’s a fun time. No complications kinda girl. Plus I’m pretty sure she’s not gonna point a gun at me, so, bonus.”

“Your expectations in relationships are seriously fucked up and unhealthy.”

“Ohh trust me she’s healthy. She does aerobics.”

He played the fool. Egging her on in the little game they liked to play. Usually she’ll get the better of him. He was never ashamed to admit defeat. He just liked to make her work for iit.

“Have you seen Dustin?”

The question came out of nowhere, and he was surprised to turn and see all of the kids there. Minus Dustin.

“Assholes we were having a discussion. You don’t just inter-“

“Steve, have you seen Dustin?” There was an urgency in Wheelers voice that reminded him of Nancy that night at the Byers’ house when he was first introduced to the bullshit that was Hawkins.

He could feel his earlier happiness fade as he looked at the severe expressions all of the kids wore.

“No. He was supposed to come by later to pick up a couple of videos, but I haven’t ... He’s probably off talking with Suzie on Cerebro.”

The kids exchanged looks. The youngest Byers stepping back from the others. His head in his hands. His body shaking slightly. Steve couldn’t blame him, his own body trembled. Whether out of fear or a need to run and find Dustin, he wasn’t sure.

“He hasn’t answered his walkie all morning,” it was Max who responded, her eyes boring into his own. Demanding he fix this. “Not even for a code red.”

“Robin, I-“

“I got you, go find him.” Her voice was soft. She was just as nervous as he was. Nodding gratefully, he rushes out of the store with the kids in tow.

Three hours later found Steve sitting on the hood of his Beemer staring numbly at the Henderson house.

Mrs. Henderson was beside herself crying hysterically in the arms of Mrs. Sinclair, Mrs. Wheeler and Mrs. Byers. He wanted more than anything to join her but he couldn’t; not with 5 little bodies leaning against him, needing him to be strong. To stay strong. Even if he was far from it. Man he was so far from fucking strong right now.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Hopper heading towards them but he never looked away from the house. The destruction inside still haunted him.

“I think it’s time for you guys to head out with your parents.” Hopper’s tone was gruff but soothing at the same time. Still it had no effect on the kids. All of them crowded together. Needing one another for comfort. Absently he wondered if this was how they were when Will was missing.

“El, Will let’s move now.” That tone was the winner. Almost in unison the teens began sliding off his car. None of them saying much as they moved. Wheeler stopped directly in front of him. His eyes met Steve’s. There was gonna be a discussion but for right now Steve didn’t care about what Wheeler had to say.

Sliding off his hood, Steve threw one last glance in Mrs. Henderson’s direction. Before moving to his drivers side door.

“Hey, Harrington,” he stopped without turning to face the chief. Not ready to see the judgement or sympathy in the mans eyes.

“You alright kid?”

It was such a loaded question. Was he okay? How could he be okay? Dustin was gone. Not just gone but violently so. Nothing left behind but broken glass, two bullet holes in a wall, and a well worn bloody baseball hat.

“Yeah, just, keep me posted,” he remarked, still not turning to face Hopper. Without waiting for the older man to comment Steve got in his car and sped off. He couldn’t face this right now.

*

Elsewhere....

Billy Hargrove woke with a start. The jolt of the sudden move made his ribs ache and he grunted as the pain sharpened.

He wasn’t sure how long he had slept this time but it obviously hadn’t been enough. He was still in this shithole.

Everything was so fucked up. Last thing he remembered was the girl, Eleven, telling him -reminding him of his mom. Reminding him of a time when he was happy. Before Hawkins, before his dad turned into a dickbag, before Max...

God Max...

He hoped she was okay, that she wasn’t here. He can still remember hurting her. He’d tried so hard to be better to her. Nicer. In the end he still failed her. Just like he failed his father. Just another failure to add to his growing list.

The door to his cell opened and Ozerov entered, a smug smile on his evil ass face.

“The Doc not supervising this little outing asshole?” He snapped knowing the Russian dickhead couldn’t do shit to him unless the Doc gave him permission.

Ozerov ignores him and instead says something in russian to someone to his left. The hateful glint in his eye puts Billy on edge and he immediately tenses but the attack never comes. Instead a soldier steps forward dragging a small body.

His first thought is of Max. They brought her here. To punish him. But it wasn’t Max. The small struggling figure was familiar though.

“Oh Holy Shit!!” The kid exclaimed as their eyes met. It was Harrington’s little fan club president. If they had him could they have Max? Or what about Harrington? Or Eleven? The thought damn near paralyzed him.

“You’re not dead? How in the hell is that-“ his excited babble turned into a sharp cry of pain as the soldier dug into, what looked like a gunshot wound in the kids shoulder.

Ozerov glanced back at Billy and smiled as he shoved Henderson at him.

“A little playmate eh? Doctor thought you’d like.”

Billy swallowed hard, his body aching with the need to lash out but he did nothing. This could be a trick. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d toyed with him. Almost like they knew what he was thinking the pair laughed before leaving his room.

Once they were gone he bent down to where Dustin laid sprawled on the floor panting harshly. Pulling roughly at the kids shirt he was thankful to see it wasn’t a gunshot wound. Just a deep gash.

“ Are you alone?”

“Do I look alone asshole,” Dustin hissed out between pants. Which seriously did not impress Billy at all.

“Is Maxine here you little fuckhead?” He growled as he gave Henderson a shake, ignoring his pained cry.

“Ow.. No you zombie asshole.”

“Zombie?”

“Yeah. Undead, Soulless Monster, they who eat the Brains.”

“I know what it means shitbird.”

“They told us, well Max and your parents, that you died. Dr. Owens couldn’t locate your body but it was assumed that the fire, ya know...”

So the world thought he was dead? The thought cause him to frown as he drops fully to the floor. In the end his father was right and he was a useless waste of life.

“If it makes you feel any better a lot of really hot girls cried at your funeral.”

“It doesn’t hurt knowing that,” he laughed kinda desperately as he helped Henderson up into a sitting position yo take the pressure off his shoulder.

“Don’t worry El and Hopper are going to find us. “

“Not us kid. I’m dead remember?”

“Well I’m not. When I don’t show up for my free movies Steve’s gonna sound the alarm and then these guys’ll be sorry they ever came back to Hawkins.”

Billy wished he still carried that type of faith in people but he knew Dustin was in for a rude awakening. His friends will look and find nothing. They’ll miss him but ultimately move on.

“Sure kid, I’m sure they will.”

Chapter 2: Chapter 1

It had been two weeks since they had thrown Dustin into his cell. Two long weeks. Henderson, it turned out, was a mouthy little shit. Despite his size and lack of ability the kid managed to smart mouth any and all who came his way. It rarely worked in his favor but he still kept at it. He couldn’t help but feel a certain amount if respect for the kid.

Except for right now. Right now he wanted to slam the little dicksack into the ground to shut him up. He wasn’t in the mood for ‘Dustin Annoys’ volume 15.

His current mode of annoyance was singing. Loudly. He actually wasn’t that bad. But their was only so much Michael Jackson a person can take.

The other interesting thing revolving around Henderson was their captors. While he was off limits, with the exception of the Doc, Dustin was fair game. The guards and Ozerov in particular, seemed to take extreme pleasure in hurting the kid. Black eyes, broken fingers, cuts, lashes. Only extreme damage seemed to be off the table but Billy wasn’t sure for how long.

He was scared to think about it.

“Either sing something good or shut the fuck up.”

“Sorry but request hour is over. You didn’t make it in time.”

“I’m not above gagging your ass Henderson,” he casually pointed out as he flipped through the book the Doc had given him. It wasn’t too difficult to put himself in Jacks place. Fucking creepy ass place driving you batshit, while an annoying ass kid drove you up the wall.

“I wonder what they’re doing back home?” The question wasn’t new, but the softness in which it was asked was. Usually Dustin wasn’t so open. But as the days past, Billy watched as the kids facade began to drop around him while they were alone.

Honestly he didn’t know what to say. How do you explain that people you love are moving on. While he and Dustin sat here everybody back in Hawkins we’re going on with their lives. By now they probably had a memorial for Dustin, or at the very least considered him a runaway. In other words a lost cause.

Before he could even try to answer the door to their cell opened. Ozerov was the first to enter. His usual smug smile was absent, instead he wore a grim expression. Behind him came his usual soldier, and then came the Doc.

Dr. Brenner walked in with that benign smile on his face. He looked from Billy to the boy standing behind him and only when his eyes landed on Dustin did his smile falter. Behind him there was a sharp gasp from Dustin, followed by a rustling of fabric as the kid moved from the bed to stand beside Billy. Or more accurately behind Billy.

Annoyance seem to cover Brenner’s features as he turned to Ozerov.“That is not the child I told you about,” Brenner sneered in that bored manner of his that set Billy’s body on alert. That was never a good sign. An uninterested Doc was a dangerous Doc. Unconsciously he moved to stand more directly in front of Dustin.

“This one knows about us. He has history with us Hm?” Ozerov gave Dustin a long once over that caused the boy to move closer to him. Once more Billy wondered what had happened to cause the Russians interest in the kid.

He watched as Brenner glanced from him to Dustin and back again. Although he looked disinterested there was a cold calculated look in his eyes. It was a look of interest that made Billy wary of the man. For the first time since he had been here, Billy felt more unsure of the Doc than the soldiers.

“Its fine,” Brenner finally turned his attention back to Ozerov, “this can work to our advantage.” With one last smile the pair took their leave.

As soon as the door closed Dustin started pacing frantically all the while muttering ‘shit’ over and over. His body trembled with fear, the first real fear Billy has seen the mouthy little shit display.

“Seriously kid,” He questioned tiredly as the kids broken record stayed on repeat, “Assholes with guns you run your dick sucker at, but the Doc makes you cream your jeans?”

“He’s, this is, we’re...” finally the boy seems to breath, but the fear and panic is still visible. “we’re in deep shit. Like seriously messed up shit.”

“You honestly just now realizing this?”

“No, but, That’s Dr. Brenner.” Dustin explained as if he had some idea what that was supposed to mean.

Dustin was just staring at him expectedly. Like he was supposed to have all the answers. He hated that look. He could do nothing but shake his head and turn away from the kid.

“He wants Eleven. He’s going to use us to hurt El,” and that made Billy pause. Why did it have to be her again?

“And?” It took everything in him to not show concern. He couldn’t be weak right now.

“She, she tried to help you. She wanted to save you from the Mind Flayer,” their was confusion in Dustin’s voice. Like he just couldn’t understand.

“Yeah and what a bang up job she did there huh Henderson?”

“At least she tried! We just can’t-”

“Can’t what kid,” he shouted as his anger got the better of him. “ you’re supposed to be smart right so be smart. We are stuck, there is nothing that we can do but sit here and stay stuck. You’re living in some fairytale dreamland if you think we could do anything from where we’re at. Hell you’re fucking insane if you even think about trying.”

“They’re my friends I have to try. But you wouldn’t understand.”

“I wouldn’t understand?” He shouted as he angrily kicked a small chair across the room. “I sacrificed my life for that fucking freak,” he growled out as he advanced on Dustin.

Ignoring Dustin’s flinch, Billy grabs the teen roughly by the back of the neck and propels him into the bathroom. Shoving him towards the warped mirror.

“See what giving a damn gets you? Two black eyes, two broken fingers, belt lashes across the back,” he presses in on a particularly nasty one he knows of on Dustin’s shoulder blade, eliciting in a hiss from the smaller boy.

“You need to quit. Quit fighting back. Quit running your mouth. Keep your head down and shut up. Don’t draw their attention,” he finishes softly as he releases his hold on Dustin, but doesn’t step back. Instead he places both hands on the mirror caging Dustin between his arms.

“We’re all we got kid.” He meets Dustin’s eyes in the mirror and the boy looks freaked. Whether it’s because of what he said, or the fact that he looming in the smaller teens personal space doesn’t matter to Billy. He just wants him to understand what he’s saying. “ Whether we like it or not, we’re all we got.”

They stood quietly for a few minutes just breathing but before long Henderson - being Henderson - just had to break the silence.

“El will find us. Brenner will use us to draw her out.”

Stepping back, Billy groans and heads to his bed and flops down. No matter what he said Henderson wasn’t gonna listen.

“I know you don’t believe me but they are gonna find us.” He could hear him shuffling closer. Not even looking up he shifts over to make room for the kid on the bed. Max used to do the same thing when she was scared and didn’t want to admit it.

“You’ll see I’m right. I’m always right,” the teen assured as he slid into the bed next to him.

*

 

It was just after midnight when Jim Hopper finally arrived home. Groaning as he got out of the Bronco he couldn’t help but notice Jonathan’s car missing. Lately he had been driving the kids around in their quest to look for Dustin, in place of Steve. Harrington’s absence not going unnoticed by any of the party. Outside of the video store none of them had seen him since that day at the Henderson house. He was worried about him but right now head had to focus on finding Henderson and looking after Eleven.

Who was currently sitting in the dark with a tv full of static.

“I coulda sworn we talked about this kiddo?”

“I can help. I’m getting stronger.”

“Yeah but you’re no good to anyone if you push it to fast. You said it yourself darlin’, you’ll recharge,” he turned on lights and turned to see her remove her blindfold. “ You gotta let it happen naturally kid.”

“I feel useless.”

“You’re far from it,” he explained patiently for the umpteenth time. She expressed a variation of that sentiment ever since Dustin disappeared. He wished he could kill that Mind Flayer again.

“Where’s the others?”

“Jonathan went to see Steve. He bailed on another meeting at Mikes. Will is at Mikes. Joyce went to see Mrs. Henderson. “

Of course she did. Who knew better what Claudia was feeling than Joyce. He just hoped Joyce understood that this outcome was likely to end as happily as hers.

“Did you check all of the mayor’s properties for any signs of the Russians?”

“None of your concern right now.”

“I know he’s close. He has to be. I can feel it. Plus Will has heard him in his dreams. He told me.”

“You dream all sorts of things when you’re scared kid. Trust me on this. I speak from experience.”

She looked at him oddly then. Her brows knitting in confusion. He didn’t want her worrying about this shit.

“Go get some sleep. We talk in the morning.”

She turned to leave before stopping and looking back at him.

“Dr. Owens. He found you. Maybe he can help find him.”

“Maybe he will kid, maybe he will.”

Chapter 3

Notes:

It’s been a long time no update. RL got in the way as well as some writers fear, if you will, but I’m back and working to complete this. It’s gonna be a retelling of series 4 now but hopefully you all enjoy.

“You know I had thought we’d outgrown this sort of behavior,” Brenner tsked softly as he stood before Billy with his hands clasped behind his back. There was a hint of anger in the man’s voice but Billy ignored it as he continued to stare past the man.

It had been several days since his outburst with Dustin. At first he’d thought he’d gotten through to the kid but as always, he’d been wrong. Sure enough Dustin had said something about Starcourt and Ozerov had the boy dragged from their room kicking and screaming.

That had been two days ago. Two days and nobody would tell him anything.

“Tell me Billy, why are you concerned about Mr. Henderson? From my records you’ve had more than a few troublesome encounters with the boy and his friends. I would have thought you would be relieved of his absence.”

He remained silent and still. He didn’t need or want to justify his feelings to this prick. What he felt or thought about Henderson wasn’t information the Doc needed to know. He was still being a good little lab rat and that was all these fucks deserved.

“My colleagues have told me that your sister and the others are still searching for Mr. Henderson-“

“His name is Dustin. Stop calling him Mr. Henderson like he’s a grown man. He’s a kid. A kid you people snatched from his home to use as bait,” Billy finally snarled as he met Brenner’s eyes with a vicious glare. He wanted nothing more than to rip the man’s face off.

“Tell me Doc, how well is that going for ya?”

Rather than answer Dr. Brenner merely shook his head and waved for the guards to enter. Each man carried what looked to be Billy clubs, and Billy knew what was coming and he tried steadying himself for the pain.

The blows came fast and heavy. They stayed mostly to his torso and arms, but as he attempted to fight back the hits got dirtier. Knees, groin and lastly one solid whack to his right temple. As his vision dimmed he thought of Max. Stupid, stubborn Max. Max who had tried to help him and who, if the Doc wasn’t lying, was still not giving up on helping a lost cause.

Please Maxie… just stop fighting…

 

*

 

stop fighting…

Will looked up from the book he was looking at as her heard faintly whispered words.

Across from him Mike and Lucas were look at the well worn map of Indiana that Robin had given them. Blood red X’s cover nearly half of southern Indiana.

The pair of them looked exhausted, not like he felt any better. He just so tired. Every time he closed his eyes he dreamed of that cell. Of pain and blood. Of needing to be stronger. Needing to finally do right,.

“What do you think?”

Jolted from his thoughts Will looked over to Mike’s expectant expression and frowned. “Uh,”

“I said we should check that creepy old Creel house. It’s abandoned, so maybe the Russians set up shop there”

“You’re just assuming it is the Russians,” Lucas pointed out quietly as he looked from one to the other. “ but it could just be some random sicko.”

“No, it has to be the Russians. Look at how they tried to take Hopper. If it hadn’t been for Dr. Owens, Hop would be gone.”

“But, like he helped destroy the gate and everything. The Russians taking him makes sense. Dustin just cracked a code and technically he had help from Steve and the other girl Rhonda”

“Robin,” both he and Mike said at the same time, causing Lucas to roll his eyes.

“I’m just saying-“

“We’re not giving up!”

All around them the library grew deathly silent at Mike’s shout, but Mike scarcely seemed aware. His dark eyes stared from one to to the other, his body locked with tension, but his eyes were bright, as if holding back tears. It reminded Will of how he looked when El was missing and believed dead. He wondered if this was the same tension he carried when he was missing.

just stop fighting…

“ We can’t give up on him. He would never give up on us.”

“Alright Mike, we’ll check out the old Creel house.”

*

 

While the kids made plans to hunt haunted house Steve Harrington made his way through every girl that would have him.

For the past month Robin had watched as girl after girl stumbled her way out of the constantly parentless Harrington “Manor”. Which was probably a good thing, because surely his parents wouldn’t approve of their house smelling like moldy food, stale beer, pot and sex.

As she entered the smell of beer and sweat hit her. As she made her way through the house she gathered all the dirty clothes and beer bottles she could carry. Faintly she could hear the sounds of movement upstairs so she knew Harrington was here alive and awake. Meaning he purposely left her to deal with Keith all day.

Quietly she made way upstairs. The tell-tale squeak of bed springs and soft moans made her already frayed mood even worse. This is why he didn’t come in or answer her calls.

Standing outside his bedroom door she took a few deep breaths and waits for the moaning crescendo to nearly hit its peak- before she burst through the door with a startled wet gasp.

“Oh Stevie, how could you!!!” She wailed as the cute black haired girl screeched and clambered off of Harrington’s lap and fell to the floor.

“After everything we went through last summer. You promised me you’d be better… for us.” She placed a hand to her stomach, basically cupping her overindulgence of pizza.

“I just can’t believe you would do this to me again,” vaguely she could hear the girl zipping things up, and stuffing things in, but Steve hadn’t moved a muscle, aside from hand which was current rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Finally miss hot to trot skidded out the bedroom and noisily down the stairs. Just as the front door slammed shut she turned brightest smile onto Harrington. “She was cute.”

“Seriously Robin? What is wrong with you?”

“Me? How about I’m tired of covering for you with the boss, Mrs Byers, the kids. I even lied to the Chief of police. Which being used to lying about certain things, I’m kind of a pro at talking to much and in circles, but still it’s the thought that I lie to cops for you. And how do you thank me? You turn your house into a bordello. And you have the nerve to question me?”

He doesn’t say anything, just grabs his pants and a pack of cigarettes and heads out the bedroom and down the stairs. She wishes she could throw something at him and snap him out of it, but with her luck she’d probably cause him fall and break his neck.

“Look I know you miss him-“

“Don’t fucking say it-“

“I miss the little shit too but you cannot keep doing this to yourself. You can’t drink, and smoke and screw your pain away. Because the pain is still there festering and not just on the inside you selfish prick but we are hurting too. Because not only have we lost Dustin but we are losing you as well.”

That seemed to give him pause. He stopped walking away and looked back at her. The look was so broken.

“ I gave them his name. I broke and laughingly gave them his name.”

“That’s not your fault. We were drugged. You never would have done that otherwise” She tried yo soothe him but he jerked away. Pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

“ It doesn’t matter. I was supposed to look out for them and I failed. I couldn’t stop Billy from getting into the mall. I let Max watch him die and I offered up Dustin on a golden platter. They are better off without me.”

Unable to hold back any longer, she threw her arms around Steve and pulled him close. There was nothing she could say right now to make this better, no matter how much he just said was bullshit. She just pulled him close as he began to shake.

Crying they both sank to the floor. A months worth of misery breaking free in deep painful sobs. Later there would be time for reconciliation and arguing. Right now was a time for suffering and solace. Of clinging to what they still had and loved.