We’re sorry, the number you have dialed–

“Damn it, Harrington, pick up!!” Hanging up the phone the moment she heard the voicemail pick up, Demona reached up, gripping her hair in frustration as she paced back and forth in the living room of her family cabin. She had met up with Steve on more than a few occasions, and the two even had each other in their favorite contacts. It wasn’t due to a simple friendship, though. No, they had each other as a favorite in case of the exact scenario Demona found herself in now, and the fact that Steve wasn’t answering his phone was more than a little frustrating for her. Sure, it was nearly 3:30 in the morning, but that shouldn’t have had much of an impact on him answering her call in an emergency – especially since she had already called four other times.

Collapsing on the couch, Demona let out a heavy sigh, eyes falling on the master bedroom door. She could hear the shower water running, and for a brief moment, it was almost like she was in high school again. Almost. Demona waiting for Eddie to get out of the shower was the only similarity, but it was enough to remind her just what situation she found herself in. Eddie wasn’t taking a shower to freshen up for their date, but to wash the blood of his new girlfriend off of him. Demona wasn’t waiting to tease him about his wet hair, but was waiting to make sure he was emotionally and physically okay. After all, he had found the dead body of his girlfriend of nearly 5 years in his uncle’s trailer before being chased twice by a monster from another dimension. The whole situation was far more than Demona had ever planned on dealing with.

Dealing with a demogorgon? Easy.

But dealing with a demogorgon while facing Eddie Munson for the first time in 7 years?? Could she really bring herself to keep everything she had wanted to say for 7 years to herself just to save his heart during something like this??

“I swear, I should’ve just called off work . . . ” Picking up her phone, Demona closed her eyes, a hand pinching the skin between them as she listened to it ring over and over again. Once again, she was met with the voicemail box, but rather than hang up, she left a message, moving to stand and start pacing again as she did. “Harrington, I swear to fuck if you don’t answer your goddamn phone or call me back immediately, I’m telling everyone what brand hairspray you use. I’m not joking.”

The phone call ended immediately after those words, and Demona moved into the kitchen. She had come out there a few times with Jessica, so she had stocked it up with Mountain Dew and water bottles, but this time, she was looking for something a little stronger. She swore Jessica had left some beer there, but all she found was a few empty boxes. By the time she finally found the last two cans, she heard the water shut off from the shower, and swore under her breath. She was even more glad to have found the beers (not that one beer each would really do much), and setting one can on the table, she opened the other while calling Steve one more time, hoping for his sake that he answered this time.