Chapter Seven: The Bathtub

chapter twelve , I've Got You, Kid

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Gus sits slumped in the chair and keeps her eyes on her handcuffs. She leans her head against the wall and closes her eyes. "This is why I avoid people."

Jonathan and Nancy look over at the girl.

"Did you...help them with that sign?" Nancy asks.

Gus opens her eyes. As soon as Gus' eyes met Nancy's, The Wheeler immediately sees the hurt in them.

"Do you seriously think I would do something like that?" Gus' voice was quiet like she was tired.

"I know we're not as close as we used to be but..." Gus inhales a shaky breath. "...am I really that different from before, that you have to doubt my integrity?"

A pain starts in Nancy's chest as she notices Gus' hurt expression. Nancy presses her lips into a small smile.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have even had that thought in my head." she shakes her head. "You would never do anything like that." she manages a small smile. "You're far too much of a Guster."

A faint smile forms on Gus' lips. "And don't you forget it."

The brunette closes her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check. She had so much on her mind and she was just mentally exhausted from all the worry and teenage drama.

"I'm...I'm sorry that even happened," Gus says with her eyes closed.

"It's none of our faults," Jonathan speaks. "Tommy, Carol, and Steve are to blame."

"Don't forget Nicole," Gus states, opening her eyes. "She ran away early, but she was there..." she slowly shakes her head. "...she was totally fucking there."

"Did Fallon know that was going to happen?" Nancy asks, hoping her suspicions were wrong.

Gus' chest starts to hurt. Her eyes shift to Jonathan and Nancy. "She was the one who called me. She told me she wanted us to make up, but then I saw the sign and..." she covers her face. "...she lied to me."

The brunette winces from the pain in her hands. She takes them off her face and sighs. "How could she do that?"

"I'm sorry, Gus," Jonathan says.

"You don't deserve anything that happened," Nancy adds.

"Neither did you guys." Gus scratches the side of her nose.

"Hey, Jonathan?" Joyce quickly enters the station. "Jesus, what...what happened?"

Gus' eyes travel to Hopper. She waves her hands and he sighs. Gus took it as a sigh of disappointment. But Hopper was just relieved to see the brunette. Hearing her life story made Hopper so guilty about the way he treated her. Gus' timid smile lessens. The brunette always felt like a burden. And this just adds onto that.

Hopper notices the dried blood on Gus' hands and inhales, anger filling him.

Who the hell hurt her?

"Why is he wearing handcuffs?" Joyce look at Callahan and Powell. Her eyes shift to Gus and her eyes blow wide. "Why are they both wearing handcuffs?!"

Gus smiles softly. Joyce and Gus have been through so much separately these past few weeks. When Gus was friends with Jonathan, she would always go over to the Byers' house. Sometimes she would even go over just to talk to Joyce. The woman knew how much Gus had been through and she tried to help Gus anyway she could, but the brunette didn't want help. She just wanted to be left alone.

At least, that's how Gus felt before Will disappeared.

"Well, your boy here assaulted a police officer. That's why." Callahan says.

"Well, actually--he didn't mean to," Gus speaks. "He thought you were another douchebag trying to attack him."

Callahan looks at her with squinted eyes. "And what, you didn't mean to either?"

Gus thinks for a second, "That excuse isn't going to work twice, is it?" a sheepish smile was now on her lips.

"Take them off." Joyce orders.

"I am afraid I cannot do that."

"Take them off!" Joyce shouts.

"You heard her. Take 'em off." Hopper says. He points at Gus. "Hers too."

"Chief, I get everyone's emotional here, but there's something you need to see," Powell says.

Hopper leaves the station with Callahan and Powell. But he soon comes back with a box. Gus slightly sits up, trying to see into the box.

"What is this?" Joyce asks, looking through the box.

"Why don't you ask your son? We found it in his car." Hopper states.

"What?--"

"Why are you going through my car?" Jonathan asks.

"Is that really the question you should be asking right now?" Hopper questions.

Jonathan falls silent.

"I wanna see you in my office."

"You won't believe me," Jonathan says.

"Why don't you give me a try?"

Hopper looks at Gus and she sighs. Gus knew that look. As soon as her handcuffs were taken off, she stands up. The brunette watches as everyone else goes back to Hopper's office. She inhales and walks into the office as well.

☆

"You say blood draws this thing?"

Gus shifts her gaze to Hopper, who was examining the picture Nancy and Jonathan gave him.

"We don't know." Jonathan answers.

"It's just a theory," Nancy adds.

Silence settles into the room, everyone tries to wrap their heads around all the information Jonathan and Nancy just informed them of. And to think Gus thought her life couldn't get any more complicated. The Demogorgon was real.

"Hey, can I...have a minute?" Hopper asks.

Everyone exchanges a look. Gus tenses up as everyone starts to leave the room. The brunette quickly stands up and starts toward the door as well.

"You. Stay, missy."

Gus stops in her tracks and closes her eyes with a sigh. She turns on her heel and looks at Hopper.

"Sit."

The brunette walks over to the chair and sits back down. She presses her arms against her knees and keeps her eyes on her hands. Gus sits with Hopper in silence as he leans against the desk.

"What are you doing, kid?"

Gus bites her lower lip and examines the dried blood on her hands. "I don't--I don't know..." she admits. "So much has uh, happened, and honestly? I don't know what's really--real anymore." she starts to pick at the peeling skin on her palms. A sigh leaves Hopper's mouth.

"And for the first time ever I think I'm involved in...teenage drama and I'm not cut out for it." Gus bunches her shoulders.

Creases form across Hopper's forehead. "You and Fallon okay?"

Pain starts in Gus' stomach and it travels to her chest, then her throat.

"No." Gus chokes out. "She told me something it changed our entire friendship--probably even ended it. And she hates me." A tear slips out of Gus' eye. "I ruined our friendship. Just like I ruin everything else."

Hopper shakes his head, "Hey, that's not true--"

"I used to be friends with Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve--I was happy!" Gus cries. "Then my dad didn't want me and he...he hated me. And he would've rather die than live with me!"

Hopper tenses up as Gus tangles a hand in her hair. He didn't know what to do in this situation. Hopper and Gus rarely talked about their feelings. They were strangers that lived in the same house. But for some reason, seeing Gus this way, breaking down. It made Hopper feel protective. He's only felt like that with Sara. The whole reason why he put a wall up when he took Gus in was so he wouldn't see her as a daughter. But he knew that slowly but surely he failed.

"Why didn't you come to me? You could've talked--"

"You're not my dad, Hop," Gus says, wiping her tears. "Y-You have your own life and I don't want to be any more of a burden to you."

Hopper stays silent and listens to Gus sniffle.

"You're an idiot."

The brunette pulls her brows together. "Wh-what?"

"I arrested you on a daily basis." Hopper states. "Before any of this crazy shit happened. That was the only excitement in my life."

"So, whether you like it or not. You are a part of my life." Hopper crouches in front of her. "And you're right, I'm not your dad. But don't think that's going to stop me from caring about you." A reassuring smile forms on his lips.

Gus inhales a shaky breath. She slightly opens her mouth, trying to figure out what to say. But instead, she wraps her arms around Hopper's neck. Her tears stain his shirt. He holds his hands up, hesitant at first. But as soon as Gus' body began to shake with quiet sobs, he finally hugged her back.

"I've got you, kid." Hopper touches the back of her head.

"I want an apology!"

Gus blinks and pulls away from Hopper. She quickly wipes her tears. Hopper and Gus exchange perplexed expressions. She turns her head to the door. Hopper leaves the office with Gus behind him.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Hopper shouts.

For the first time, he was having a heart-to-heart with Gus and it was interrupted. He had a right to be pissed.

"Chief--"

"These men are humiliating my son." The lady quickly speaks, stepping forward.

"No, no, no. Okay, that's not true." Callahan says.

"There was some kind of fight, Chief--"

"A psychotic child broke his arm!" The lady shouts.

Gus smirks. She remembers when she first broke someone's arm. Good times.

"A little girl, Chief. A little one." Callahan adds.

Gus squints her eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Callahan looks at her, "I mean--come on, you don't think that's wei--"

"I threw you over my shoulder today." Gus tilts her head.

Powell chuckles and Callahan rolls his eyes, "Okay, okay. You caught me off guard..."

Gus nods her head, "Uh-huh--of course."

"...and we're talking about a little girl--"

"That tone! Do you hear that tone?!" The lady points at Callahan.

Callahan's mouth hangs open and he holds his hands up. "Honestly, I'm just trying to state a fact. It was a little girl--"

"I don't have time for this," Hopper says. "Will you please take a statement..."

"...and get her out." He mouths the last part.

"So, what'd this girl look like?" Powell inquires.

Gus and Hopper turn to leave.

"She had no hair and she was bleeding from her nose."

Gus and Hopper stop in their tracks. The brunette quickly turns back around.

"Like a freak!"

"What'd you just say?" Hopper and Gus chorus.

"I said she's a freak!" The kid repeats.

Gus walks toward him and crouches in front of the kid. "No, idiot. Her hair--what'd you say about her hair?"

Hopper looks over at Gus, noticing her urgency for information. She knew something.

"Did you just call my son an idiot?!" The lady exclaims.

"Yes," Gus answers bluntly. She keeps her eyes on the child. "Answer the question."

"Her head's shaved. She doesn't even look like a girl." He states.

"Okay, no need to be rude. I only asked about her hair." Gus scoffs.

"And..."

"And what?" Hopper asks.

"Tell the man, and his scary child, Troy." The lady urges.

Gus squints her eyes at the woman. The lady slams her mouth shut. "She can...do things," Troy says.

Gus exhales. She gets back on her feet.

"What kind of things?" Hopper asks. But, Gus already knew the answer.

"Like...make you fly. And piss yourself..." Troy says quietly.

Gus tilts her head and points at him, "You're that Troy?"

Troy's eyes widen.

"Was she alone?" Hopper asks.

Troy shakes his head, "She always hangs out with those losers."

"Losers? What losers?" Hopper asks.

Gus turns to him, "Hop..." she scratches her head.

"Gus?" Hooper turns to her.

"I think I have to tell you something."

☆

Fallon leans against the trunk of the car with her arms folded. She looks at Steve and inhales. "Did you kiss her?"

Steve looks at Fallon and pulls his brows together. "Who--"

"You're dumb, Harrington. But not that dumb." Fallon fully turns to Steve and tilts her head. "Did you kiss Gus?"

"What does it matter?--"

"Are you shitting me, right now?" Fallon scoffs.

"And why do you sound so mad?" Steve looks at her. "You were just fine with laughing and getting all excited when you thought Gus and I were having sex."

Fallon keeps a strong glare on him. Knowing that she wasn't going to let up, Steve sighs. "No, I didn't kiss her," he says. "I tried, but she pulled away."

Fallon relaxes and looks away from the boy. Steve and Fallon have always been a part of the same friend groups, but that doesn't mean they've always gotten along. And as time went on, Fallon got closer to Gus and she got more jealous of Steve.

"I wish I didn't even try to."

Fallon looks back at Steve. "What?"

Steve lets out a breath, "I embarrassed her." he shakes his head. "I tried to use her and I feel like shit."

Fallon looks away from Steve and inhales. "Well, you're not alone in the whole...embarrassing her and feeling like shit thing." she hops onto the trunk and sits next to Steve.

"Why'd you start hanging out with us again anyway?" Steve asks. "I mean, from what I've seen, you're friendship with Gus was great. You were...Fallon and Gus."

Fallon slowly nods her head, "Yeah...we were great." she shrugs. "Then, I got stupid and...did something that ruined everything." her throat tightens. "And I blamed Gus for it. Because I thought it was easier to push Gus away first than waiting for her to do it." she then covers her face. "Jesus--I sound so stupid saying it out loud."

"Yeah, and even I knew that." Steve huffs.

Fallon raises her brows, "I'm sorry--didn't you stop being friends with Gus because everyone else was calling her a freak?"

Steve's eyes widen and he looks away with guilt. "I am such an idiot..."

"I can't believe you're just now realizing this." Fallon shakes her head.

Steve hangs his head low and covers his face. Gus used to be one of the most important people in Steve's life. And now he treated her like shit. He treated her like she was nothing.

Fallon sighs, "Don't worry, Steve. We're in the same boat there."

"You don't like me very much, do you?" Steve questions.

Fallon purses her lips, "What gave it away?"

Steve raises his brows and Fallon chuckles.

"It's just hard trying to live up to the great Steve Harrington as a best friend, y'know?" she sighs. "You were her first."

Steve presses his lips together.

"And...because you're a dick and Gus still sees the good in you." Fallon shakes her head. "Even after you dropped her in order to become cool, she still was..." she trails off her sentence. "...she still missed you." Fallon quickly corrects herself.

Steve tangles his hands in his hair. "God...I'm a prick. I'm a dick. I am...everything in between."

"Asshole," Fallon adds.

"Yeah."

"A bitch."

"Uh--"

"You're a fucking bastar--"

"Okay, I get the point." Steve lifts his head back up and stares at Fallon.

They both share a laugh.

"Did we interrupt something?"

Fallon and steve turn to Carol and Tommy.

"You two finally getting cozy?" Carol laughs.

"First Nancy, then Guster, and now Fallon?" Tommy shakes his head. "You are one sly dog, Harrington."

"Put a cork in it, Tommy." Fallon snaps.

Tommy laughs and he holds his hands up. "Relax, it was a joke."

"Here." Tommy tosses the soda can and aspirin to Steve.

"Don't worry, he'll need more aspirin when we're done with him," Tommy says. "And that other freak will get what's coming to her too."

"What do you mean?" Fallon squints her eyes. "You gonna hit a girl, Tommy?"

"Hey, she hit Carol first." Tommy snaps.

Fallon shifts her gaze to the light brown bruise on Carol's jawline.

"Then she started wailing on me!" he motions to his face.

Fallon winces at the blood and bruising across Tommy's face.

"Jonathan and Gus really did a number on you guys, huh?" Fallon chuckles.

"She caught me by surprise," Tommy says.

"Jeez, those two are never getting out." Carol lightly touches her bruised cheek. "The cops should just lock them up forever."

"I mean--did you see the look on their faces?" Carol chuckles.

Carol starts to mock Jonathan by softly punching Tommy in his chest. "And Gus' sobbing--don't even get me started!" she cackles.

Fallon's right eye twitches, "How about let's not talk about them."

"Freak number 1 probably had the same look whenever he killed his brother, right?" Tommy smacks Steve's arm.

"Are you kidding me?" Fallon scoffs.

Tommy and Carol look at her.

"Why are your panties all in a bunch?"

Fallon cranes her neck forward, "Jonathan lost Will, his brother! And now you're accusing him of murdering him! I know this may be hard for you guys..." she hops off the trunk of the car. "...but try and have some fucking decency."

Carol rolls her eyes. She then shudders, "Oh, God, I just got an image of him making that face while he and Nancy are screwing."

Fallon rolls her eyes, "Am I a fucking ghost or something?" she waves her hand in front of her face.

"Carol, for once in your life, shut your damn mouth!" Steve snaps.

Fallon drops her arm to her side and she raises her brows. "That was...unexpected."

"What?" Carol questions.

"Hey, what's your problem, man?" Tommy asks, his brows scrunched together.

"You're both assholes. That's my problem." Steve hops off the trunk.

"Are you serious right now, man?" Tommy scoffs.

"Yeah, I'm serious." Steve shoves Tommy back. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Done what?"

"You know what?" Steve snaps.

"You mean call her out for what she really is?" Tommy questions. "Oh, that's funny, because I don't remember you asking me to stop."

"Yeah, and you called Gus without another thought." Carol looks at Fallon.

Fallon holds her hands out, "See? When did I say that I blamed anyone--I haven't said anything since Steve started talking!"

Carol points a finger in Fallon's face. "Don't try to weasel your way out of--"

Fallon grabs Carol's finger and twists it.

"Ow! Tommy!" Carol quickly drops to her knees.

Tommy and Steve stop arguing and turn to the two girls. Tommy's eyes blow wide and he grabs Fallon's arm. "Get your hands off of her!"

"No, get your hands off of me!" Fallon shouts.

Steve shoves Tommy away from Fallon. The teenager lunges forward, but Steve wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her back. Carol rubs her finger. "You and Gus are fucking insane!"

Steve sets Fallon down, "Are you okay--"

"I'm calm. I am calm." Fallon straightens her blouse.

"Defending the slut with a heart of gold and for what?" Carol growls.

Steve's calm demeanor quickly changes. "I TOLD YOU TO WATCH YOUR MOUTH!!!"

Tommy shoves Steve back. "Hey! I don't know what's gotten into you, man, but you don't talk to her that way."

"Get out of my face." Steve shoves Tommy.

"Or what?" Tommy grabs Steve by his jacket and shoves him against the car. "Or what?"

Fallon jumps.

"You gonna fight me now, too? Huh?" Tommy asks. "You gonna fight me now, too? Because you couldn't take Jonathan Byers...so I wouldn't recommend that."

Tommy rips his hands off of Steve's jacket.

"You're talking like you won a fight today Tommy." Steve scoffs.

Fallon lets out a snort, seeing Tommy puff his chest.

"My face looks better than yours--"

"How about you both stop comparing sizes and come to terms with the fact that you both got your asses beat." Fallon claps her hands together. "We're leaving Steve."

Fallon rounds the car and gets into the passenger seat.

"Yeah, you two run away!" Tommy calls out. "Run away!"

As Steve speeds out of the parking lot, Fallon holds her hand out the window and flips Carol and Tommy off.

Steve shakes his head. "Gus has been rubbing off on you."

Fallon smiles proudly.

☆

Gus keeps her eyes on her bruised knuckles and shakes her head. "I shouldn't have left them alone--dammit."

"This is not your fault," Joyce says. "You couldn't have known this would happen."

Gus shrugs, "I've been with them this entire time and they were talking about the bad men." she scratches the side of her nose. "I should've known..."

Hopper and Nancy get back into the car. He turns to the three teens in the backseat. "Look, we need to find them before they do," he says. "Do you have any idea where he might've gone?"

Nancy shakes her head, "No, I don't."

"I need you to think." Hopper presses.

"I don't know. We haven't talked a lot." Nancy says. "I mean, lately..."

"Is there any place that your parents don't know about that he might go?" Joyce questions.

"I might know how to ask him," Gus speaks.

Hopper looks at the brunette, "What?"

"They have a lot of places where they hang out and that would take too much time," Gus explains. She grabs her messenger bag off her shoulder and pulls her walkie out. "This is how we ask them. We just need a signal."

"My house," Jonathan says.

Gus frowns and raises her brows, "That could work."

Hoppers to the Byers' house. Everyone quickly exits the car and enters the house. They all move through the house, but Nancy takes a moment to examine the Christmas lights and pain.

Gus holds her walkie. Once Nancy got into her room, Gus walks over to her. Nancy meets Gus' eyes and looks down at the Walkie.

"Talk to your brother," Gus says in a soft tone.

Nancy nods her head and accepts the alike.

The four kids sit in the abandoned bus, they hear a voice coming from a backpack.

"Mike, are you there? Mike, it's me, Nancy."

Mike runs over to his bag and grabs his walkie.

"Is that your sister?" Lucas asks.

"This is an emergency, Mike. Do you copy?" Nancy calls out again.

"Okay, this is really weird." Dustin states.

Lucas reaches for the walkie.

"Don't answer." Mike snaps.

"She said it was an emergency." Lucas states.

"What if it's a trick?" Mike asks.

"It's your sister. " Lucas points out.

"What if the bad people kidnapped her?" Mike questions. "What if they're forcing her to say this?"

"I need you to answer," Nancy says.

"It's Lando Calrissian. Don't answer." Dustin claims.

"We need to know that you're there, Mike," Nancy says.

Before anybody could do anything else, Gus takes the Walkie back. "Listen, squirts, this is your Guardian. If you're there, pick up. Over."

Everyone in the room was either shocked or smiling at the fact that Gus went full Geek.

"We know you're in trouble. And they know about Eleven." Gus states.

"I understand Gus, but why is Nancy with the chief?" Lucas asks.

"How the hell does he know about..." Dustin turns to Eleven.

"Gus would never say anything, right?" Lucas asks.

"Hopper can protect you. I can protect, but you gotta pick up. Are you there? Do you copy? Over." Gus says with a more gentle voice.

All the kids on the bus look at each other. "The only reason Gus would tell anyone anything if this was an emergency." Dustin states.

Lucas slowly nods his head, "We should answer."

Mike looks at everyone and he nods his head, agreeing.

After a few minutes, Gus didn't receive an answer, so she sighs in defeat. She turns to Hopper and shrugs a shoulder.

"Anybody got any other ideas?" Hopper asks.

The walkie clicks.

"Yeah, I copy."

Gus looks down at the walkie and a small smile forms on her lips.

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author's note.

Don't forget to vote and comment! It really helps to motivate me to keep writing, knowing people are actually enjoying it <3

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