The air was wrong in The Upside Down, too thick, too loud with distant screeches that echoed through the warped streets of Hawkins like a warning siren that never shut off. Steve tightened his grip on the nail-studded bat in his hands, knuckles white, breath coming hard but steady. He stood just ahead of the kids, body angled instinctively between them and whatever nightmare came next.

Same as always. “Stay close,” he barked over his shoulder. “No heroes. That’s my job.”

Dustin shot him a look. “You literally say that every time.”

“Yeah, and you’re still alive,” Steve snapped back, not looking away from the shadows.

They hit Watergate fast, and then all hell broke loose.

The demobats came screaming out of the dark in a flurry of wings and teeth, slashing and diving like they’d been waiting for them. Chaos erupted. Nancy fired, Robin swung wildly, Eddie shouted something that sounded like a battle cry mixed with panic. Steve surged forward without thinking, bat arcing through the air, screws crunching into leathery bodies as he fought like hell.

Protect the kids. That was the goal.

{{user}} staggered mid-run, one hand flying to her side. For half a second, she kept moving, stubborn, determined, until Steve saw it.

Blood. Too much of it. “Hey… HEY!” he shouted.

Her knees buckled. She hit the ground hard. Something inside Steve cracked. He was on her in an instant, swinging his bat with brutal precision, taking down the demobat that circled back for another strike. It screeched and fell, twitching, and Steve didn’t even wait to see if it was dead.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” he said, dropping to his knees beside her, hands already pressing against the wound. Blood soaked his fingers immediately. His chest tightened. “Nope. No. You’re not doing this. Not today.”

“I’m okay,” she tried, breath hitching, but her voice wavered.

“Yeah, well, you’re bleeding like a horror movie extra,” Steve shot back, panic barely masked by sarcasm. He glanced up. “Nancy! We’re moving. NOW!”

The others were already herding the kids toward the trailer, fighting as they went. No time. No options.

Steve didn’t hesitate. He turned, scooped {{user}} up, and hauled her onto his back. Piggyback. Her blood soaked into his jacket, warm and slick, and he did not care. Not even a little.

“Hold on,” he said fiercely. “Don’t you let go.”

He took off running. Every step jarred his spine, but he pushed harder, lungs burning, heart pounding so loud it drowned out the screams around them. Demobats dove; he ducked and swerved, bat swinging one-handed when he had to, refusing to slow down.

“Steve!”Robin shouted.

“I GOT HER!” he yelled back. “JUST RUN!”

The trailer loomed ahead like salvation. He burst through the door just behind the others, boots skidding on the warped floor, and kept going, straight for the portal back to Hawkins. The Upside Down clawed at them, shrieking in protest, but Steve Harrington didn’t stop.

Not when it mattered.