"We're all going to die."

The lab, the fucking lab, why did it always have to lead back to the lab? From monsters to an alternate universe, to government cover ups to telekinetic children who had their lives torn away from them to be created into weapons of mass destruction, it was always the goddamn lab behind it all. Well, Blair supposed that realistically, the actual government and god only knows who else was behind it all, and that the lab was just, in fact, a scapegoat for her rage, something physical she could see and touch and ruin with the curses desperate to slip from her bloodied lips of wickedness.

Grams had never let her go near it when she'd been younger, god, the old bat would of probably dragged her around by her ear if she'd even tried while they were together. And yet, obviously, like any child who'd been told not to do something by an adult, Blair had once waited until her grandmother had drunk herself into some kind of catatonic coma and left in the middle of the night, blessed with only her slippers and a flashlight as she strolled through the woods with the haunting moon following her every step like an accusation, like a silent guardian that was condemning her for her treachery.

But when she'd finally arrived, the young girl hadn't even dared to go farther than the rusty gate that had loomed over her like a omen, like a monster of barbed wire ready to swallow her whole as she froze and stopped and just stared at the blinking lights with something ominous settling in her chest like a warning. There had been an awful taste in the air, filling her lungs with rot, with disease that leeched it's way into her small body and made her feel like she was on the brink of crumbling, of decaying like a flower in darkness never to taste a drop of sunlight upon its parched petals again.

Of course, eventually, grams had awoken from her slumber to find that the child, her grandchild who she was supposed to actually look after was gone, and from what the witch could only assume had been alot of panicking and cursing, had rushed off to find her...and it was funny that Blair had always wondered how the old bat had found her, had seemed to know exactly where she was when even she, herself, had felt lost from where she lay that night, curled up beneath a tree, shivering and sobbing because everything around her just felt wrong and disoriented, like the world was sideways.

Being a witch, however, seemed to make you have quite a talent in finding those who were lost, because she'd found her exactly where she'd lost her, and Blair remembered that she'd wrapped her tight in her own coat, the rough fur holding a strangely comforting stench of liquor and smoke, and then had scolded her for running off, words still half slurred because she was still as drunk as a skunk of whatever that fucking weird saying was.

And god, wasn't it strange that that was one of her fonder memories of her grandmother, when she'd been her hero and not her greatest embarrassment.

In the present, she could feel the heaviness in the air, the strife, disease, fear and chaos as it festered, the taste of something unnatural battling against the magic that lay beneath her bones making her feel like she was about to be torn anew as she stood there, listening to the background noise of the others trying to explain everything. But most of all, Blair could feel death, she knew it well, could remember its embrace even if she'd lost all sense...and she knew that whatever was going on at the lab, the scientists and workers had reaped what they sowed and were now dealing with the consequences of their desire for ruin.

There was a part of her that wanted to let it happen, of course, a part of her that wanted to watch the lab burn for what it did to Eleven, to a young girl that had been torn away from her mothers breast and turned into something she had no choice in, a monster, an experiment of their own creation. However, the only reason, the only reason she'd ever even think about granting those people mercy or even a hint of salvation, was because of Nancy and Jonathan's tall tales that they had quickly explained had led them to the lab where Hopper, Joyce and the other half of the kids possibly faced absolute carnage.

"So is there a reason we're all just standing around twiddling our fucking thumbs? If they are actually in the lab then they're probably going to be monster chum soon and if we wait any longer then we'll have to scrape the poor bastards innards from the floor-"

"Okay Blair, thankyou for that lovely image but can we please remain calm and civil? Jesus christ." Steve interrupted her swiftly before she could really get into it, running a hand through his dark strands of hair while shooting her a look that she dutifully ignored, rolling her eyes at his frustration and pretending she couldn't see the way the Wheeler girl was watching them ever so closely, like she couldn't understand why they were standing together, why they were there in the first place, but being too afraid to actually ask considering they definitely had bigger problems at hand.

"The powers off, meaning the gate won't open so we can't get in."

And yet as soon as those words slipped from Jonathan's lips, there was a sudden noise, a shutter almost alongside the flickering lights of the lab suddenly burning bright as they all turned to look, and before anyone could even blink, the Byers boy was rushing towards the guards station, slamming down on the button repeatedly but to no avail, even when Dustin gave it a try while cursing aggressively, it didn't even as much as shudder or twitch, remaining an immovable object to their unstoppable force as Blair sighed quietly, rolling her shoulders before stepping up to bat...quite literally.

"Everyone move back. I'm serious, go on, last thing I need is to set one of you dickheads on fire." She snapped, pushing them all a few places behind her with her dark glare and flapping hands awkwardly slapping their way through the air in agitation. God, she really needed to get the hell out of Hawkins at some point because what the fuck was even going on in the shitty town which had once seemed so bloody untouchable...only now it had an infestation of science experiments and monsters from another dimension...you know, completely normal stuff that every town had to worry about obviously.

"Sispann la agresè."

The gate didn't stand a chance of course, the structure bending, screeching as it grinded against itself with that awful sound of metal bashing against metal, sparks flying and her palms tingling as with a final grunt from her cursed mouth, it crumbled like a piece of discarded paper. And then almost instantly, Blair was hit with a wave of exhaustion that made her step backwards as to not lose her balance, her magic feeling like it was burning it's way through her veins like a match to gasoline, choking her on the ashes of her own damnation as she sucked in a harrowing breath that ached.

How long was she going to be able to keep all this up? It was a dangerous question, one that was getting heavier even time she asked it. Every day, every hour, every minute and every second she was flirting with death, tempting fate, dancing with destruction until it overwhelmed her like a bitter illness, planting seeds of rot in her stomach that would bloom and let the earth swallow her corpse engraved with the bloodied petals of her own ruin...truthfully, Blair was absolutely terrified...because with every whispered spell, it felt like time was getting quicker and death was creeping closer.

"Hey, you alright? You're not looking so hot, Jones."

Fuck you Steve I'm always hot, was the answer she wanted to say, she wanted snarl and be as cruel as Blair Bitch was supposed to be...but she was far too tired to even attempt to appear stronger than she felt as she let out a breath she wasn't aware that she was holding, despising the shakinness to it, and despising the way everything inside of herself begged for salvation, begged to finally reach the deep end of rock bottom like Icarus and the sun...but she knew that there would be no end in sight for her that wasn't bloody and filled with anarchy and chaos of the most divine explosion, and that there was always a dark blacker than the abyss you know.

"Worry about yourself Harrington. You're going to be the one babysitting the three musketeers over there while I make sure the others aren't meat sacks." She said, turning to look at him and blatantly ignoring the concern she could see shining in the dark of his eyes...something that was swiftly replaced by horror as he registered just what she was saying, shooting rather terrified looks over his shoulder to the small group of children talking amongst themselves as if they were about to erupt into something very monstrous indeed.

"Woah- hey I didn't agree to that. You can't just dump that on me what the hell am I meant to do-"

"First of all, I definitely can dump it on you considering you decided against helping me get them home so guess what asshole? Now they're your responsibility. And second of all I need to know that the kids are going to be alright. I need someone that I know can keep them safe, that I trust, to stay here with them when I go play fucking hero to the other dickheads who decided to get themselves locked up in the lab." Wow, she should probably not be finding his wide-eyed terror so hilarious...and it probably said alot about her that that was the thing that cheered her up from her rather depressing thoughts indeed.

But then Steve paused, brows furrowed and his stupid pouty lips opening and closing as if he was struggling to gather his words and what he wanted to say...before something smug began to shine in his dark gaze, a small smile twitching at his mouth as his shoulders relaxed and his whole being seemed to radiate glee as he rocked on his heel with his hands resting upon his hips. "So you trust me then?"

"Huh?"

"You just said you trust me. You said 'I need someone I know can keep them safe and who I know I can trust'...you trust me." He grinned, an absolute shit eating grin as Blair blinked up at him, the roles suddenly reversed as it was his turn to be amused by her fucking horror. Oh god, she said she trusted him, she said she trusted him, what the hell was wrong with her? And better yet...when the fuck did that happen? Harrington was one of the biggest pains in her ass and he had been since they were like eight...and now, apparently, she trusted him, quite possibly, the most out of their band of misfits.

What kind of screwed up irony was that?

"No, no, no absolutely not, I said someone they can trust. Shut up." Blair quickly snapped back, wondering if the panic was plain to see on her bruised features as she turned around and began to march away as swiftly as her legs could carry her, keeping her gaze firmly trained on the car where Nancy and Jonathan inhabitated and vehemently ignoring the bastard as he laughed and followed behind her, her thoughts racing and heart pounding at the rather frustrating warmth blooming in the apples of her cheeks that didn't exactly bode well.

However, there wasn't exactly alot of space for her to run from him, and she found her retreat cut short when her bloodied fingers scabbed over with her ruin and rusted crimson curled over the door handle of the car. No where to run or to hide from that embarrassing confession of trust...what the hell was wrong with her? Seriously? Perhaps she should go to the hospital at some point, well, if she somehow managed to survive this hellfest and check for brain damage or something, and then after that, she should most definitely look into having some kind of vacation away from all of Hawkins bullshit before she'd explode.

"Oh you definitely did not. You trust me, Jones...bet you might even like me too."

Of course, Steve didn't seem to be able to sense his impending doom as the young witch glared at him, hand tightening over the door handle which she was swift to yank open, once again, pretending she didn't see the way that the two older teens were watching the strange duo ever so closely, like they still couldn't understand why they were together which, honestly, Blair was still trying to figure out too considering he was a massive pain in her ass. "Eat shit, Harrington. And if there's so much as a scratch on those kids when I get back-"

"You'll turn me into a frog, yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes, slapping his palm against the roof of the car, blissfully unaware of the gazes watching them under careful scrutiny or just a far better actor than she thought he was...before something suddenly shifted on his face, lips pursing into some strange expression that seared her flesh, that made her stomach twist into painful knots that ached and burned...because they both knew that there was a possibility, there was always going to be a possibility in Hawkins that neither of them were going to live through the night. "Hey uh, just...try to come back in one piece."

"Always do."

And then with one last smirk, Blair climbed into the back of the car and slammed the door shut behind her, staring at the back of Jonathan's head as if it had all the answers, not daring to look over her shoulder as the engine rumbled and started, barely even breathing as the people they left behind became mere dots in the rearview mirror, watching them leave and still not understanding that it might be the last time any of them see the other alive...but she did, and for a few moments, she allowed her face to crumble, for her bruised lips to wobble, for saltwater tears to fill her waterline and ache with the weight of holding everything together, with the fear that was maiming her like the claws and teeth she'd dreamed of.

Death, her death, their death, Hopper's death or Eleven's, nightmares and visions blurring the line of her sanity, of what was real and ensured until she didn't know which was which. Nothing but blood seeping into the ground, nothing but screams, nothing but fire and destruction haunting her like a ghost begging to be seen as she grew restless and terrified.

But as quickly as she'd allowed her emotions to get the better of her, Blair was just as quick to swallow them, to settle her features into something nonchalant, clenching her hands into fists at her knees, dipping the tips of her fingernails into the mangled flesh of her palms...and letting the agonising burn of her magic wash over her as the lab finally came into view like it was an ominous omen. There was no longer any time for fear, for hesitation, and just like it always would be, it was time for her to be simply nothing more than the witch, their witch, not the mentally ill teenage girl who was on the edge of losing her mind.

"Oh my god! There they are!"

There was frantic screaming and the sound of growling roars that filled the night when Jonathan slammed down hard on the breaks just outside of the entrance, the sight of the demodogs bashing against the glass doors, their bodies pounding the glass, again and again and again as Hopper kept his gun trained on the faceless monsters that seemed to be getting stronger and closer with every moment...but it wasn't until Blair saw Will's body leaning limply on the struggling Mike did she tear open the car door and throw herself down on the ground with a shout."Sanguinatum planicium."

As swiftly as they'd appeared, the cracks in the glass sealed over as she smirked wickedly, all teeth and bite and danger as she heard their harrowing howls of frustration before she moved to the side so the sobbing Joyce and pale looking Mike could climb inside the car carrying Will who really was looking like a bloody corpse in their arms, still shouting about things that she didn't even bare the slightest bit of attention too as she slammed the door shut behind them and rushed towards Hopper who almost instantly turned his enraged glare to her.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Obviously I'm here to enjoy the scenery! Saving your ass, that's what I'm doing, asshole!" She spat back at him without a second of hesitation, waving her bloodied palm over at her reflection that had begun to splinter once again as the glass doors threatned to crumble, trying not to freeze at the sight of the blood soaking the once white floors inside the infested hellscape, trying to ignore the heavy grief she could feel in the air like mortal sin, and trying her hardest not to let terror overwhelm her as magic clashed with twisted science, again and again and again.

"Y-you are so goddamn grounded! You hear me? Grounded!" Hopper shouted, spit flying and a vein bulging in his large head as he pointed a meaty finger in her face before quickly running towards one of the discarded van's that belonged to the lab that she could confidently assume that the workers no longer possessed the limbs...or the y'know, life, to operate the vehicle. All the while the young witch scoffed loudly, turning around for a moment to glare over at the back of his stupid head and desperately trying not to show how relieved she actually was at the fact that he was still alive to argue with her.

"Yeah, good luck with that one!"

But Blair was so focused on making the Chief was alright that she didn't hear the shattering of glass from a window above...she didn't hear the screech or the fall or the pounding of clawed feet against rotting pavement, didn't feel the drop in her stomach as her magic blistered through her veins to warn her, to protect her, she didn't hear, she didn't see and she didn't feel any of it until it was too late...until her leg erupted in agony as the demodogs mouth curled around her calf and shredded into her flesh in thick clumps of morality, pulling her to the ground as she screamed, fire erupting all around her, burning her in her wiccan fury.

Gunshots rained all around her, shouts of her name, panicked things that rattled inside her ringing ears, the stench of fear and ash choking her as blood settled on her tongue, staining her teeth crimson as she cried out while the creature howled and burned and died as amber flames consumed it. It felt like razor blades had been sunken into her skin, scraping against bone, hooking beneath her flesh and taking it off, muscle by muscle, layer by layer until it was nothing more than a twitching and squirting pile of red meat...in other words, it fucking hurt like a motherfucker.

"Get the fuck off me you hellspawn of a cunt!" She screamed viciously, kicking her unmaimed leg into its face with a vengeance, managing to untangle its half dead corpse from her person before frantically crawling backwards, every breath she took a hitching gasp, a sob because of the agonising tremors of her calf that looked as though it had been shoved into a bloody meat-grinder. Why was it always her? Why was it always fucking her?

Rough hands suddenly grabbed her, pulling her up until she was practically cradled against a barrel like chest that held her close as Hopper's face came into vision, still shooting in the definitely dead demodogs direction while still shouting at her for coming to his rescue in the first place. But she could hear the fear in his voice, the tremor in his fingers, the shaking of his hand as he hitched her up and down in the back of the van, shooting her one last glare with eyes bloodshot and red before the door slammed shut, bathing her in darkness as she whimpered, pulling herself up while trying not to scream as the van began to drive like hell itself was chasing after them.

Which probably wasn't that far from the truth as she sobbed pathetically, grappling with the bloodied flesh of her leg with slick palms, trying to staunch the bleeding but it seemed to be pouring from everywhere, drenching the floor beneath her in red sin. Well, she'd had a good run, seventeen wasn't the worst age to die, she'd had alot of fun and did a bunch of shit, of course she would of liked to have done a whole lot more, but hey, who was she to complain about fate being a fucking raging bitch.

The van suddenly jerked to a stop, practically flinging her into the wall as she cursed wildly at everyone and everything, teeth stained with red as she bared them like a feral animal in the darkness, huffing desperate gasps at the absolute agony currently tearing apart her leg all because she was far too stupid to remember not to turn her back on a monster.

Unfortunately, however, Blair didn't have alot of time to wallow in her own self pity in the comfort of her isolation for long, considering it felt like they'd only been stopped for a moment before the doors were sliding open...and screams filled the night once more as the kids and their reluctant babysitter were forced to bare witness to the absolute bloodbath, the horror movie gone wrong that was the back of the van where she'd been moving around like it was some kind of fucking slip and slide as the witch looked up at them with a rather sarcastic and pained grin on her bloodied features before she made eye-contact with Steve who looked three seconds away from exploding.

"Hey, Harrington, don't freak out...but I think I'm missing a couple pieces."