re·u·nite

verb

come together or cause to come together again after a period of separation or disunity.

Emilia stepped out of the bus, each stair made her ankle throb and she was biting her lip by the time she reached the soft ground. Clutching the open door of the vehicle, she leaned into it and groaned. Warily watching Steve approach, she felt a sheepish expression contort her face; she was ashamed that she was hurt, and that she would slow them down because it was clear from Steve's determined voice that he was going after the monsters.

"You're hurt, can you walk?" Steve asked.

Wide eyes of the three younger kids stared, curious and worried. Max looked the most concerned, because Emilia and her had a bit of a connection. Dustin kept glancing over his shoulder at the forests where the colony of monsters had torn off to. The worry that they would come back lingered in the air, but it wasn't the focus of anyone's thoughts. The monsters had taken off suddenly and collectively, like they were being called back by something.

Emilia nodded but it turned into a head shake as she took a step, "I'll slow you down, just go on, I'm no use now."

"No way, I can't handle these kids on my own, Emilia. We're a team, you and I," Steve encouraged. He stepped very close to her; Emilia could feel his body heat. Knowingly, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and leaned into him like a crutch. Together, they walked at a slow pace, with the kids running ahead of the and occasionally stopping to wait for Steve and Emilia.

"Thank you," Emilia said when the kids were out of ear-shot.

"You think I'd leave you behind?" Steve asked. "No way, kid, you're starting to grow on me."

She grinned, which quickly turned into a grimace as she put her foot down wrong. Leaning more into Steve, she realized that she could smell the hair spray he wore, combined with the sweat of a hard day worked. She also realized that she probably smelled terrible, given that she didn't get a chance to shower that morning, and despite the cold day, they'd busted their asses after their lengthy trek through the forest.

"Where do you think they went?" Steve asked.

Her eyes looked through the thick grove of trees that they were walking through, how it felt endless. She knew which way the tracks led, and they weren't far from those train tracks. Though she couldn't see through the dense woods, she knew where they were going to end up.

"Hawkins Lab," she said blatantly.

"I guess that make sense." Steve chuckled. "It was like something called to them, like a person would call their dog."

She nodded. "I don't want to know what the owner of those dogs looks like."

He laughed, then adjusted his grip around her torso. "Well, we might find out."

Not long later, though longer than Emilia wanted to take, they arrived at the edge of the forest. Though the lab right in front of them was not lit up, that was far more ominous than if it was. Pure darkness in a building that never slept, it was unnerving.

But what was more unnerving was the fact that someone began shouting at them from the road.

"Hello?!" Emilia knew that voice. "Who's there?"

Steve went headlong through the end of the woods and approached, leaving Emilia behind in case it was dangerous. But Emilia already knew who was there, but didn't get the chance to say it before Steve paraded out there. She hobbled for a step or two, before Max helped her out.

Jonathan and Nancy stood there, and simultaneously yelled, "Steve?"

"Nancy?"

Dustin came into view, "Jonathan?"

"Emilia?" Jonathan perked up when he saw her. His chest felt constricted and tight, and he was unsure if he was supposed to stay there or rush up and embrace her. He saw the look on her face when she spotted him, eyes widening like they were happy, and then a sadness sweeping over her like a tsunami. Nancy was at his side, the place where Emilia should have been.

Emilia saw them standing side by side, only one vehicle there. She knew they had disappeared for a few days, Jonathan hadn't even bothered calling her to say he was gone. Understanding that he wanted some time apart, she got it. She got that he didn't want to call, but she was worried about him. With everything else that was happening around them, it was indecent of him to run away without telling anyone, to go galivanting elsewhere without a care in the world. And with Nancy at his side, no doubt.

She remained where she was, holding Max just a little harder.

It was not the reunion she was expecting.

"What are you doing here?" Nancy asked Steve.

Steve asked Nancy the exact question.

"We're looking for Will and Mike," Nancy replied.

"Are they in there?" Dustin asked, eyes turned to the dark building.

A deep growl came from within the building, turning all their attention there. It was a sign telling them that yes, people they loved might very well be within those walls. As they walked towards the control booth, Dustin wedged his way in and tried to open it by pushing the button, which had obviously been done by Nancy and Jonathan when they arrived. All the power was cut out.

"Emilia." Jonathan walked up to her, glanced once at Max with minor confusion. "I don't know what's going on, not here, not between us... But we need to talk."

"Now is really not the time, Jonathan," Emilia stated the obvious.

"I know," he muttered. "But soon."

Emilia removed her arm from Max's shoulder, "It's okay, I got this."

Max nodded and walked towards the rowdy crew trying to get the gate to open, leaving just Emilia and Jonathan to talk. She was right, it wasn't the time, but if they were walking into the hive, she didn't want to die without a few words exchanged with him. She brushed her hair behind her ear and looked nervously at him; she hadn't felt nervous around him in so long. But it was not the ooey-gooey feeling of a new relationship, it was the feeling that it might be the end.

"Where've you been?" She asked.

"Long story, I'll explain everything when we get out of here," Jonathan said. "I just want you to know that I don't want to lose you. I don't want some space, I don't want to... I made mistakes these last few days, I was conflicted, but I'm not, not anymore, Emilia."

She blinked, unsure what to say in response.

"Are you and Steve...?" He couldn't form the words, they simply refused to be spoken.

"Oh, no!" Emilia shook her head fiercely. "No, no, not at all. Nothing like that. When you disappeared, he was really the only friend I had who understood this... strangeness. That, and you took off with his former girlfriend, so we were sort of in a similar situation."

Jonathan looked ashamed, "I know, and I'm sorry. I need you to know that-"

"Powers back!" Dustin yelled as the gates opened.

"Later," Emilia said, then nodded to her ankle. "Help me out?"

He nodded, slipping his shoulder underneath her armpit. His arm wrapped around her familiar body, connecting them like puzzle pieces that were meant to be together. But now it felt more like they were puzzle pieces that conveniently fit but were from different puzzles. He forced these thoughts from his mind and helped her to the car. They had so much that they were up against, they couldn't focus on their differences and issues right now.

But Jonathan wished he told her he loved her. 

Yikes, the chapter you have all been waiting for and Emilia was COLD. Rightfully so, I think. Jonathan DID take off with Nancy without telling her, and that's pretty shady. 

Question of the Day: Do you think Jonathan will admit what he did with Nancy? Do you think Emilia and Jonathan will stay together?