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There were soldiers everywhere outside the mall, far too many for Izzie to count. They were marching around with guns in groups, she had never seen so many people being so serious. Along with the soldiers there were countless fire trucks chock full of fire fighters because the mall was up in flames.
There was a row of ambulances on the far side of the parking lot, Izzie and Max were sitting on the edge of one, Izzie's arm wrapped around her girlfriend's shoulder tightly, her other hand holding an ice pack to Max's head.
Izzie had a bandage wrapped around her head as a temporary measure, but she knew she'd have to be taken to the hospital. Max was fine for the most part, just a little beaten up, but Izzie refused to leave her girlfriend's side.
Steve and Jessie were sitting together on a gurney not too far from them, clearly Steve was being a protective brother. The two were all cuddled up and holding hands, Izzie was just glad they finally confessed. Being down in the bunker with those oblivious idiots was unbearable.
God, were Izzie and Max like that before they got together?
Eventually, people's parents started showing up. Joyce was obviously first considering she had been in the bunker, but Hopper never came back up with her. It took Izzie a second to realise, but as soon as El started sobbing, she knew what had happened.
Hopper . . . Hopper was gone. Hopper who was so strong, so dependable, was gone.
Izzie blinked back tears and shoved that thought to the back of her mind where she could find it when she was ready to process.
Joyce ended up taking El and her two sons home, then Mrs. Wheeler got Mike and Nancy. Lucas and Erica's dad came next, followed by Jessie and Robin's dad. Dustin's mom took him home, and then Mrs. Mayfield and her husband arrived.
Billy's dad.
Max's mom came rushing over to her daughter and Izzie, but Billy's father was pulled away to go talk to the authorities. Izzie knew what news he was about to receive, she couldn't look.
"Oh, my baby." Mrs. Mayfield cried when she reached her daughter, immediately starting to fuss over her. Izzie took her arm off from around Max, choosing to just hold her hand so she could have space with her mother. She would have left, but Max was clinging onto her so tight she figured it would be impossible.
"Are you okay, baby?" Susan Mayfield asked her daughter softly, then turned to the paramedic beside the ambulance they were in. "Is she okay?"
"I'm okay mom." Max croaked, her voice thick from crying and eyes red and glassy.
Susan's eyes were teary. "Oh sweetie . . ." She cleared her throat. "Let's go home, okay? I just need to talk to the paramedic first. Sit tight." She placed a kiss on her forehead then walked a few feet away to the paramedic, keeping a constant worried gaze on her daughter.
