°🌟1🌟°

🌟CHAPTER 1🌟~°THE VANISHING OF WILL BYERS°~

*🌟Third Person's POV🌟*

"Wake up, dipshit!" Dustin Henderson said, hitting his sister over the head with an empty pizza box.

Hailey Henderson jolted upright from the couch; her eyes wide as they scanned the room. Her heart hammered against her ribs until her gaze landed on her brother, who was doubled over with laughter. "Dustin, that's no way to wake a princess!" she declared, glaring and pointing a finger at him, though a smile threatened to break through her feigned upset.

"You're no princess; you're a troll. And we should be going home before Mom starts looking for us," Dustin retorted, wiping a tear from his eye.

Hailey's playful expression shifted to one of urgency. "What time is it?"

"8:15!" Dustin told her.

She leapt off the couch, scrambling to gather her things before following the boys out of the basement. "Yo, hey guys. Does anyone want this?" Dustin asked, holding the box open to reveal one last slice of pizza.

"No!" the other boys chorused in unison, already stepping out into the cool evening air.

Hailey ducked into the kitchen to say goodbye to Mrs. Wheeler, who was busy preparing dinner. "Oh, Hailey," Karen said, wiping her hands on a towel. "You really don't have to play along with the boys' little fantasy game all the time." She couldn't remember a time when Hailey wasn't involved in one of their campaigns or trailing after them. It made the older woman a little worried for the teenage girl, who seemed to have no friends her own age.

Hailey offered a soft, genuine smile. "I really don't mind. I always enjoy my time with the boys. They know how to keep things interesting."

"If you say so," Karen replied, her tone gentle but sceptical.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Wheeler. Enjoy the rest of your evening." Hailey waved and made her way out of the house.

The boys were already by their bikes, saying their goodbyes. "There's something wrong with your sister," Dustin said to Mike as Hailey approached them.

"Dustin, you can't just say stuff like that about someone else," Hailey scolded him sternly, though she had a sinking feeling she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"What are you talking about?" Mike asked, his face scrunched in confusion.

"She's got a stick up her butt," the Henderson boy stated matter-of-factly.

"Dustin!" Hailey's voice was sharp.

"What?" He shot her a look that was part challenge, part sympathy. He knew his sister, for some reason he couldn't fathom, admired Steve Harrington. Seeing one of her closest friends dating the guy had to sting. It was more than that, though. Hailey used to be popular, admired by everyone, but now she was an outcast. It hurt him to see her so lonely, even if she never admitted it.

"Yeah!" most of the boys agreed with Dustin.

"It's 'because she's been dating that douchebag Steve Harrington," Lucas chimed in.

The name was a punch to the gut. Hailey's breath hitched; a tiny, almost imperceptible sound lost to the chatter of the boys. For a split second, the image of Steve's laugh, the way he'd run a hand through his perfect hair, flashed behind her eyes. She quickly folded her arms, hoping the motion looked like impatience and not a desperate attempt to hold herself together.

"Yeah, she's turning into a real jerk."

"She's always been a jerk," Mike said, surprised they were only noticing it now.

Dustin seemed to disagree vehemently. "Nuh-uh! She used to be cool. Like the time she and Hailey dressed up as elves for our Elder Tree campaign!"

"That was four years ago!" Lucas reminded him.

"Just saying," Dustin mumbled defensively. Lucas started to pedal away on his bike. "Later."

"Hey, Will," Hailey said, her voice softening as she turned to the quieter boy. "Do you want me to take you home?" Will had always held a special place in her heart. He was like a little brother, and she felt fiercely protective of him and all the boys.

"No, it's okay, Hai. I'll bike home," he said with a small, appreciative smile.

"You sure?" she asked, her concern evident.

Will nodded. "I'm sure."

The Henderson siblings got into their car and drove off. After a moment of comfortable silence, Dustin glanced at his sister. "Hai, why do you always hang out with us? Like, all the time?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

"Dustin," she said, keeping her eyes on the road, "because you four are the only ones I want to hang out with. I enjoy it. I'll protect you guys from any Demogorgon that tries to hurt you. You're my treasures. I wouldn't give that up for the world." She pulled into their driveway and put the car in park, finally turning to him with a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Dustin's face broke into a wide grin. "Hailey, you are the best ever." He launched himself across the seat to hug her tightly.

Hailey caught him, her earlier bravado melting away. She held him close, resting her chin on the top of his curly head. "You're my best boy, Dusty-bun," she whispered, using a childhood nickname she knew he'd pretend to hate but secretly loved. "Don't you ever forget it." She pressed a quick kiss into his hair before letting him go, her heart feeling a little fuller, a little less lonely.

"Only for you boys," she said, her voice thick with emotion. She gave him a wink before they both got out of the car. After saying their goodnights, she went straight to her room, collapsing onto her bed and immediately falling into a dreamless sleep.

*~*🌟*~*

The next morning, Hailey knocked on her brother's door. Finding him still fast asleep, she pushed it open. "Dust! I won't be able to take you to school. I asked Jonathan for a favour, so I have to go to the Byers' house before school. You better get your ass up!" she yelled.

She was tying her shoes by the front door when she heard his distant, groggy complaints echoing from his room. A little while later, Dustin came skidding into the kitchen, his curiosity overpowering his sleepiness.

"What kind of favour did you ask Jonathan for that you have to do it this early in the morning?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"That has nothing to do with you. It's teenager stuff," she said, shrugging it off as she took a sip of coffee.

Dustin's eyes narrowed. "Do you two have a thing going on?"

Hailey choked on her coffee, sputtering as she turned to glare at him. "Dustin! He's a friend. Last night you complained that I'm always hanging out with you guys. Are you jealous that my attention is actually going to be on someone else?" she teased.

"What? No!" he protested, though his cheeks reddened slightly. "I mean, I'm glad you have someone else to do things with. It's just... you two are always hanging out alone. You might end up giving people the wrong idea."

"I don't care what people say. People can think Jonathan and I are a thing all they want; we just ignore it," she told him firmly, grabbing her bag. She stopped at the door and turned back with a mischievous glint in her eye. "And, Dustin, if we were actually dating, I'd be at his house most nights. I'd be giving him the ride of his life."

With a wink, she was out the door. Dustin stared after her, utterly bewildered. "They have a car! You don't have to give him a ride!" he yelled after her, only hearing her laughter echo back from the driveway.

Hailey pulled into the Byers' driveway, noting that Joyce's car was still there. She knocked once and let herself in, following the sound of anxious voices to the kitchen.

"He came home last night, right?" Joyce Byers was asking, her voice tight with a tension Hailey felt immediately.

"He's not in his room?" Jonathan asked, his own confusion laced with a dawning worry.

"Did he come home or not?" Joyce pressed, her hands wringing a dishcloth.

"Will's not home?" Hailey asked, making her presence known.

Both Byers turned to her. "No, he's not," Joyce said, her eyes wide and pleading. "Hailey, do you know if he slept over at Mike's?"

"No, he didn't," Hailey said, her own stomach beginning to knot with unease. "We all left after eight. I offered to bring him home, but he said he would be fine taking his bike."

"Mom, maybe he just went to school early," Jonathan suggested, though the words sounded hollow, an attempt to calm the rising panic.

"Yeah... maybe you're right," Joyce whispered, more to herself than to them, her gaze distant and troubled.

Hailey shifted her weight, the planned favour suddenly feeling trivial. "Jonathan," she began softly, "the favour I asked you about... are you still up for it?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, snapping out of his thoughts about his brother. "We can do it close to the woods in the backyard. It'll give the perfect background." He turned and headed to his room to get his camera, the normalcy of the task a stark contrast to the worry now hanging heavy in the air.

"Thank you for doing this. I really appreciate it. You're the best photographer at school; I couldn't ask anybody else," Hailey said, giving him a grateful smile as they finished up in the woods.

"It's no problem," Jonathan replied, lowering his camera. "But may I ask... what are they for, anyway?" He looked at her, his curiosity evident.

She gave him a mischievous grin. "It's for research," she said, deftly avoiding the real reason she needed the photos.

"Wait, you're doing research on yourself?" he asked, his confusion deepening.

"You could say that," she said with a light laugh, brushing off his question. She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Do you want to ride with me to school?"

"If it's not a problem," Jonathan said.

"It's no problem at all."

After what Hailey considered the most entertainingly weird drive of her life, filled with comfortable silence and a shared mixtape, they pulled into the school lot. The two got out of the vehicle, the morning buzz of students swelling around them.

"So, just let me know later, you know, that Will is safe, okay?" she asked, her earlier light-heartedness replaced by a thread of concern.

"Yeah, sure I will. Thanks for the ride," Jonathan said with a nod before they turned to walk in separate directions. For a brief moment, Hailey felt a prickling on the back of her neck, a distinct sensation of being watched. She shrugged it off, attributing it to the general weirdness of the morning, and pushed her way into the bustling school building.

She found Nancy Wheeler at her locker, flanked by Barb. Hailey leaned against the neighbouring locker, not really caring about the answer but feeling the need to perform social normality. "So, did he call you?" she asked, her tone flat, unable to even speak his name without a flicker of annoyance.

Nancy sighed, looking stressed. "Seriously? What's up with you two? Keep your voices down," she begged, glancing around the hallway.

"...And I told you guys, it's not like that. Okay, I mean, yes, he likes me, but not like that. We just made out a couple times," Nancy tried to explain, painting what she clearly thought was a clearer picture.

"Oh, please," Hailey scoffed, the image of his smug grin flashing in her mind. She rolled her eyes as she twisted her locker combination, the metal feeling cold under her suddenly tense fingers. "If he finally gets you in his bed, please remind me to tell you 'I told you so.'"

"Nance, seriously, you're gonna be so cool now, it's ridiculous," Barb chirped, her excitement for her friend palpable.

"No. I'm not," Nancy denied, though a faint blush touched her cheeks.

"You better still hang out with us, that's all I'm saying. If you become friends with Tommy H. and Carol..." Barb trailed off, a worried frown on her face.

Hailey cut in immediately, her voice laced with genuine disgust. "I'll barf all over you, Wheeler. I promise you that." She made exaggerated gagging noises for effect, the very idea of that vapid circle turning her stomach.

"Oh, that's gross!" Nancy said, looking genuinely appalled at the idea of ditching her friends for the popular clique. She'd rather have Hailey use her as a toilet.

"Okay, I'm telling you, it was a one-time... two-time thing," Nancy insisted, looking pleadingly at Hailey, who just fixed her with a look that was equal parts scepticism and a protectiveness she couldn't quite voice.

Nancy finally popped her locker open, and a small, folded note fluttered to the floor. Hailey bent down, picked it up, and her stomach dropped. She recognized the sloppy, confident scrawl instantly. His handwriting. She handed it back to her friend without a word, one eyebrow raised in silent, bitter victory.

"You were saying?" Barb asked, nodding at the incriminating note.

Tired of the conversation that had dominated their talks for days, Hailey shouldered her bag, the weight of it feeling heavier than usual. "I'm out. See you nerds later." She turned and walked toward class, the name Steve Harrington echoing in her mind, leaving a bitter, aching taste in her mouth that no amount of coffee could wash away.

*~*🌟*~*

Later that evening, Hailey was curled in the comforts of her own bed, trying and failing to quiet her racing thoughts. The official news of Will's disappearance had shattered the fragile normalcy of Hawkins, and it had shattered something in her, too. It wasn't just worry; it was a deep, gnawing guilt that sat heavy in her chest, a lead weight she couldn't dislodge. She kept replaying the moment she'd offered him a ride, the casual way he'd refused. Why hadn't she insisted? The question echoed, a torturous loop in her mind. She was the older one, the protector. She had one job, and she felt like she had failed.

A crackle from her radio shattered the silence. "Hai, do you copy? It's Mike." His voice was small and strained, nothing like his usual confident tone.

Her heart clenched. She snatched the receiver immediately, her grip tight. "Hey Mikey, I'm here. Everything okay? Over." She prayed he wasn't drowning in the same ocean of guilt that was pulling her under.

"I'm worried about Will, Hai. Over."

"Talk to me, Mikey. Over." She kept her voice soft, a lifeline she hoped he could grab onto.

"I was thinking... Will could've cast Protection last night, but he didn't. He cast Fireball. Over."

Hailey's breath hitched; the air suddenly cold in her lungs. She'd been half-asleep for the end of their campaign, but Dustin had recounted it with glee. Mike had a point. In their game, Will had chosen the risky, offensive move to help the party. The parallel to real life was chillingly accurate. Will was the kindest of them all, always putting others first.

"What are you implying? Over." She asked, her heart beginning to hammer a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

"My point is... he could've played it safe, but he didn't. He put himself in danger to help the party. Over."

That was it. The guilt, the fear, the helplessness—it all coalesced into a single, white-hot point of decisive purpose. Will was out there, alone and scared, and she was lying in bed. The thought was unbearable. She was not just their friend; she was their guardian. And a guardian acted.

"Mikey, get a hold of Lucas. We're going to Mirkwood, and we need our soldiers ready. Dustin and I will be there in ten minutes. Over and out."

She launched herself out of bed, moving with a frantic energy she hadn't felt all day. She pulled on jeans, a warm sweater, and her boots with swift, certain movements. She marched to Dustin's room, not bothering with a gentle wake-up. She shook him, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Dustin, up. Now. It's Will."

He grumbled and moaned but, sensing the grave urgency in her tone and the fear in her eyes, got dressed without a single complaint. Minutes later, they were in her car, the headlights cutting twin paths through the oppressive darkness of Hawkins' streets. She drove with a focused intensity, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.

She picked up Lucas and Mike, her voice brooking no argument when she refused to let any of them bike to the one place that now felt like a gaping wound in their world. "Get in the car. Now," she'd said, her tone leaving no room for debate. She would not risk another one of them. Not on her watch.

She parked the car near the edge of the woods, right where Will's world had seemingly vanished. The air felt different here—colder, heavier.

"Ah, man. This is it," Lucas said, his voice hushed as he stared into the dark, gaping maw of the forest. They got out, flashlights in hand, a small, brave battalion against the unknown.

"Hey guys, you feel that?" Dustin asked, looking up at the oppressive, cloud-covered sky.

"Dustin, I know it's gonna rain. That's why I brought raincoats for everybody," Hailey said, her voice a forced calm she didn't feel. She was the steady rock in their swirling storm of anxiety, and she would not let them see her crack. She pulled the coats from the backseat, handing them out like a general distributing armour.

"You always think of everything," Mike said, giving her a small, appreciative smile as he shrugged his on. The trust in his eyes was a responsibility she shouldered willingly.

"Of course, I do. I have to look after you guys." Her voice softened. "Okay, come on. Let's go look for our wizard." She knew talking their language was a comfort, a tiny slice of normalcy in a terrifying situation. She would be their leader, their shield.

They tracked into the woods, the beams of their flashlights cutting shaky paths through the deepening gloom. The rain began to fall, first a drizzle, then a heavy, soaking downpour that drummed loudly on their hoods.

"Will!"

"Will!"

"Byers!"

"Willster!"

"I've got your X-Men 134!"

Hailey noticed the boys were starting to shiver violently, their teeth chattering. Her own hands were numb, but their determination, their sheer love for their friend, outweighed the cold fear coiling in her own gut. She herded them closer together, putting an arm around Dustin and pulling Mike in on her other side, trying to share what little body warmth she had left. "Stay close," she instructed, her voice firm but gentle. "I'm not losing sight of any of you."

"Guys, I really think we should turn back," Dustin said, his voice trembling with more than just the cold.

"Seriously, Dustin? You wanna be a baby, then go home already!" Lucas snapped, his own fear manifesting as anger.

"Hey, Lucas," Hailey interjected, her voice firm but gentle. She placed a calming hand on his arm. "He's scared. We all are. And he's not entirely wrong; it is dangerous coming out to the exact place Will disappeared." She was trying to validate Dustin's fear without dismantling their mission, to be fair to all of them. "But we're together. We stick together, we'll be okay."

Mike suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, holding up a hand for silence. "Mikey, what is it?" Hailey asked, her flashlight beam joining his as she peered into the darkness, her body tensing, ready to push the boys behind her.

"Did you guys hear that?" he whispered.

They all fell silent, listening. The only sound was the relentless rain until... a faint rustling. It grew louder, closer. Their hearts hammered in a synchronized rhythm of terror. They swung their flashlights toward the noise, beams converging, expecting a murderer, a monster, the unknown.

Instead, the light illuminated a small, shivering figure. It was a girl, no older than them, dressed in a sodden hospital gown, her head shaved bald. She was drenched and terrified, her eyes wide and frantic like a cornered animal.

Hailey's breath caught. All thoughts of monsters vanished, replaced by a surge of pure, protective empathy. This wasn't a threat; this was a child. A lost, freezing child.

"Oh, you poor thing," Hailey breathed, her voice barely a whisper. Without a second thought for her own discomfort, she shrugged out of her own raincoat. The cold rain instantly soaked through her sweater, but she ignored it. She stepped forward slowly, movements deliberate and non-threatening, and gently draped the warm, dry jacket over the girl's trembling shoulders. "It's okay," she murmured, her voice a gentle promise in the terrifying dark. "You're safe with us."

*~🌟~*