Joyce POV:

I wait a few minutes before I see Hoppers car pull into my driveway. I smile when I see Eleven jump out of the car with him. I walk towards the door to open it. But when I do... I almost get a heart attack. All... they children are here....

-Boys!? What're you doing here? I ask as I motion for them to come inside, fast.

Jonathan follows shortly after.

-We saw Eleven and thought that we wanna join her on.... Dustin starts and looks at me, Hopper and Jonathan.

-Whatever you guys are doing, he finishes. Jonathan eyes me.

-Mom? What's going on? He asks. I sigh. Hopper looks at me and nods.

-Alright... Alright, I will tell you all about it- a loud note from my music player interrupts me. Everyone looks down the hall.

-If you sit down, I finish. All the boys, Eleven and Max, get seated on the couch and the living room floor.

-So whats up mom? You look like you've seen a ghost? Will asks. I sigh and look to Hopper.

-Alright.... So I was working my shift at the store. Suddenly a young girl comes running, wearing.... a hospital type gown, I say and look to Eleven. Her eyes shine with curiosity.

-I asked her what was wrong, and all she could say was 'bad men'... suddenly they all came bursting through the doors and I tried to make space under the desk to hide her there, but when I looked back? It wasn't a 14-15 year old girl anymore, I say.

-What? Max asks.

-That's insane! Lucas exclaims.

-She has turned into-or morphed, I don't know the terminology, I say and begin pacing on the floor.

-Into an old man that looked like he had escaped from the hospital. But her eyes... Her eyes stayed the same, I finish. I continue pacing and Jonathan quickly stands up to stop me. He smiles reassuringly at me.

-So what happened? Mike asks me.

-Did the bad men catch her? Dustin asks. I see a tear starting to form in Elevens eye.

-No. I started acting as if she was my old grandpa and pretended like I took him back to the hospital, I say.

-So where is she? Dustin asks. I sigh.

-I'm my room... with my radio, I say. Eleven quickly scrambled to her feet and is almost rushing down the hallway. Hopper quickly stops her and she struggles against him.

-Not so fast missy, he says and places her into the living room again. She glares at him.

-I need. To meet. Her, she says sternly.

-Not until Joyce says you can, he counters. She stops glaring at Hopper and turns to me. She quickly shows her wrist where the '11' is tattooed.

-Number? She asks. I nod.

-What is her number? She clarifies.

-'Eight', I say. She looks confused, but nods anyway.

-Should I..? I ask Hopper. He sighs.

-You might as well, he says and rubs his chin. I look to the children in front of me.

-You have to promise to not jump onto her. And don't ask to many questions, I think she has a speaking problem, I say.

-Like me and my teeth? Dustin asks and smiles with his gums. I smile.

-Not really... But something like that, I say and nod. He nods in happiness. I walk close to Hopper and mention for Jonathan to join us. He quickly obeys and we stand in a circle.

-I think she might've been abused... she can speak, but it takes a lot of effort to get the sound right, I clarify. They nod. I sigh as I look down the hallway to the slightly open door.

Y/N POV:

I swing my feet to the music as Joyce comes into the room again. I smile at her.

-Come. There is someone I'd like you to meet, she says warily, putting me on edge.

-Issssssss it a b-b-bad mmman? I ask. She shakes her head.

-No, it's my friend. Remember, I told you about him? She asks. I nod hesitantly. She opens the door and mentions me to come out. I slowly walk out of the room and walk down the corridor and into the room with the sofa. But in the sofa we're a lot of people... that looked like me?

-Hello 'eight'. My name is Jim Hopper. I'm a police officer, a big man says and looks at me. He kneels down so he can look me easier in the eye.

-Y-Y/N, I clarify. He looks confused at me, then up at Joyce.

-My n-name is-is Y/N, I say. He looks back at me. He nods.

-Alright, Y/N... he says. I nod and smile.

-Is it ok if I ask you a few questions? He asks. I look at Joyce, who smiles reassuringly and nods. I look back at Hopper and nod. He gets me a chair for me to sit on. I look warily at the other children beside me. They were staring at me quite intensely.

-Did you run from the Hawkins lab? He asks. I shake my head.

-Bad men, I say. He sighs.

-Yes... did those bad men wear lab coats and did horrible things to you? He asks. I think to the people I ran from, before nodding. I nodded back.

-Thought so... He says and eyes Joyce.

-Hair... one of the kids beside me says. Everyone looks at her, including me.

-Why do you... have hair? She asks. I look confused at her. Then I remembered the bad men shaving off everyone's hair... but not mine. They said it was 'necessary' for the experiments.

-Hair... nec-necessary f-for Exp... Expe... I try to get the word, but I can't.

-For the experiments? Hopper finishes and I nod.

-What kind of experiments? He asks. I didn't want to try formulating another sentence by myself, it was hard. So instead I stand up from the chair and look intensely to the younger man in the room. He looks afraid at me. I once again feel my bones crack and some of my body parts disappearing and some of them reappearing. My muscles rearrange themselves to match a young man of his stature. And there I stand, a young man with a pink dress, black pants and a grey sweater. Everyone stares at me.

-Wow... that's so cool... I hear a boy say from the couch. I look back at Hopper and show him that my hair has changed to match his hair. It was short and parted in the middle.

-Necessary-y, I say and use my fingers to brush though the short hair. I quickly sit down and turn back to myself. Hopper makes a face I cannot explain.

-Alright... I understand... he says.

-I have to talk a bit to Joyce. Jonathan, take the questions from here, Hopper says and points to the young man I had turned into. He looked shocked but took Hoppers place quickly as they walked into the hallway. The kids immediately started talking, all at once, making me jump slightly.

-Hey... Hey! Jonathan manages to silence the ecstatic kids.

-Can I? The same girl from before asks. Jonathan sighs, but nods. The girl stands up and approaches me. I lean slightly back into my chair. She stops and holds out her wrist for me to see. '11' it says in bold black ink. I look at her before showing her my own number. She smiles and embraces me. But it wasn't for a bad intention... No. She did it... and it feels nice... Like a blanket. I put my arms awkwardly around her too, before she pulls away.

The rest of the day was Jonathan handling the kids on who could ask me the next question. And everytime I answered, they all waited patiently for me to finish talking. I felt cared for and listened to.

-Could you turn into anyone? A boy asked me and smiles. He... didn't have any front teeth?

I look at him and furrow my brows.

-What? He asks confused.

-T-teethhhhh...? I ask and motion to my mouth.

-Ah. Well, long story short; I was born like this, he says. I nod.

-Well can you? Turn into anyone? Another boy asks. His skin was dark and he smiled brightly. I nod. They cheer.

-As-s long as-as I ca-can see-e all of t-them, I say slowly. The boy without teeth stands up.

-Do me! He says enthusiastically. I stand up in front of him. I look at him. Up and down, before I turn into him. My hair bounces up in curls and my front teeth retract. I look at his amazes features.

-Ok, that's... severely cool, he says in awe.

-Awesome! Another one of the boys says. I frown.

-What-at d-does aw... awes... awewesomee mean? I ask. I tried saying the word, but it didn't sound like he said it at all. The kid in front of me laughs slightly.

-Awesome? It means like... you're cool, he says and I feel myself smile.

-I'm c-cool? I ask and turn into myself again. He nods.

-Yeah! He says.

-Bu-but I can-n bar-barely ta-alk? I say, getting insecure about my speaking difficulties.

-Me neither. When I talk, I get something called a lisp. And that makes words I say sound funny, he says and smiles.

-Yeah! You can be cool with speaking difficulties! The girl with fiery orange hair says happily.

-I-I can? I ask.

-Yes! All the kids say in choir. I smile so brightly that it feels as if my jaw is breaking. The kid without teeth holds out a hand.

-My name is Dustin. Dustin Henderson, He says. I take his hand, unsure about what he is going to do with my hand in his. He begins shaking it softly.

-And I think that we are going to get along nicely! He says and pulls me in for another embrace. I quickly put my arms around him too.

-This is awesome. I've never met someone that has another speaking difficulty before! He whispers into my ear excitedly.

-I-is it-t awesommmme? I ask. He lets me go and looks at me.

-It's totally awesome! He says.

I smile at him and this time, I'm the one going in for the embrace. He laughs into my ear.

-Wha-at is-s thi-is ca-called? I ask.

-It's calles a hug. You do it when you're very happy or sad. Or just because you want one, Dustin explains.

-..... I l-like it... ver-very much-ch, I say and close my eyes.

-Me too... for someone who's never hugged anyone before, you're a surprisingly good hugger, Dustin says and we let go. With this new action in my muscle memory, I walk toward 11. I hug her. She hugs back and smiles at me as I let go.

-C'mon Eleven, Y/N... it's time to go home, Hopper comes out from the hallway and looks at us.

-H-home? I ask and look to Joyce.

-Yes. You're new home, she says and holds out a small bag for me to take. I take it. I look up at Hopper.

-Ne-new home? I ask.

-Yep. You're going to live with me and Eleven. Somewhere safe where no one can hurt you anymore, Hopper says. I can feel tears starting to form, happy tears, as I take a swift step towards Hopper and hug him around his chest.

-Thhhhhank you-ou, Hop-pper, I say as my tears stain his shirt.

-No problem, he laughs lightly and pats my head. He leads me outside into his vehicle and 11 sits next to me in the backseat.

I turn around to look out of the back window. I see Dustin standing on the driveway and waving excitedly at me as we drive away. I wave back and turn forward again.

-Let's go home... 11 says and grabs my hand. I smile at her. The bag from Joyce is laying in my lap, dry tears on my cheeks and 11's hand in mine.

-Home....