The nights in Hawkins never stayed quiet for long.The storm had passed days ago, yet the sky still carried the memory of lightning — and Moon hadn't slept properly since.
1. Nightmares
Her dreams were filled with whispers.The sterile white corridors of the old Hawkins Lab.The smell of metal and ozone.And his voice. Always his voice.
"You were born under the moonlight, my child. You belong to me."
Moon jolted awake in bed, drenched in sweat. Her hands glowed faintly violet, and outside the window, thunder rolled again — though there wasn't a cloud in sight.
She pressed her palms together, trying to breathe."I'm not yours," she whispered to the dark.But the air trembled as if disagreeing.
2. Hopper and Joyce
Morning came gray and heavy. In Hopper's office, the smell of coffee and cigarette smoke filled the air. Joyce sat across from him, hands wrapped around a mug she hadn't touched.
"She's having nightmares," Joyce said quietly."I know," Hopper muttered. "Owens says it's normal. Power overload, post-trauma."
Joyce shot him a look. "You mean another lab experiment."
"Hey." Hopper's tone sharpened. "It's not like that. He's trying to help her learn control."
"You sound just like Brenner," Joyce said before she could stop herself.
Hopper froze. The words hit harder than she meant them to.
Joyce sighed, softer now. "I know you're trying, Hop. But she's scared. You can't teach her trust in another cage — no matter how shiny you make it."
Hopper rubbed his face, grumbling. "Yeah. I know."
3. Scoops Ahoy
The Starcourt Mall buzzed with laughter and pop music. Bright neon lights. The smell of waffle cones. Everything looked normal again — like Hawkins hadn't nearly fallen apart.
Steve Harrington leaned on the Scoops Ahoy counter, flipping through the day's shift sheet with a sigh. Robin scooped ice cream behind him, humming off-key.
"So," Robin began, smirking, "you're definitely thinking about her again."
Steve looked up. "What? Who?"
"Moon. Tall, mysterious, glows like a lightning storm, kind of terrifying — ring any bells?"
He gave a half-laugh. "She's not terrifying. She just… went through a lot."
Robin raised a brow. "Steve, your type is 'emotionally damaged with superpowers.'"
He grinned. "Yeah, well… they're usually the interesting ones."
Before Robin could tease him further, a group of kids ran past shouting about the "purple lightning" that hit near the woods last night. Steve froze, watching them go.
"Purple lightning?" he murmured.Robin sighed. "Guess normal's over again."
4. The Basement Mission
Meanwhile, in Mike's basement, the gang was back at their old table — but the board games and snacks were gone. The air was heavy.
"We have to see her," Mike said firmly.
El frowned. "It's not safe."
"Neither was waiting last time," Max shot back.
Will spoke softly. "I keep seeing her in my drawings. Like… she's calling for help."
Dustin spoke. "Okay, so, insane plan time — we sneak into a government lab to visit the moon-powered girl while the adults are clueless. Totally fine."
Lucas grinned. "That's the spirit."
El sighed, finally nodding. "I can find her."
5. The Training Session
In the new facility, Moon stood barefoot in the training chamber, her hair loose, eyes faintly glowing. Owens watched behind the glass, calm but fascinated.
"Breathe," he said over the intercom. "Control comes from calm, not fear."
Moon exhaled slowly. Wind circled her like a halo. Sparks danced above her fingertips, gentle and steady.
"Good," Owens murmured. "You're learning."
But suddenly, her breath caught. The light around her flickered — violet, darker, unstable.
"You can't hide from me."
She froze. That voice again — soft, cruel, unmistakable.
Moon turned toward the mirrored glass. And there he was.Papa.
His reflection smiled back.
Her pulse spiked. Electricity crackled in the air."No," she whispered. "You're not real."
The storm exploded.
6. The Infiltration
Outside, the alarms blared.
Mike, El, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max crouched behind the fence, eyes wide."Okay," Dustin said. "So we're sneaking into a top-secret government facility during a thunderstorm. I love this for us."
El extended her hand — and the security gate screeched open.Mike gave her a quick look. "Remind me to thank you later."El smirked faintly. "You won't."
They slipped inside just as lightning split the sky — and followed the sound of alarms echoing down the corridor.
7. The Reunion
Moon stood in the middle of the chamber, power rippling from her like a living thing. Her hair lifted with static, her eyes glowing pure violet. The entire lab hummed with energy.
Owens shouted from behind the glass. "We're losing control! Cut the generators!"
Then —"Moon!"
Her head snapped toward the voice.
Mike.
He ran toward her, rainwater dripping from his jacket, fear and determination in his eyes.
"It's me! You're okay!"
She trembled, breathing hard. "He's here, Mike. I saw him. I heard him—"
"You're safe," he said, voice steady despite the chaos. "We're all here."
El, Max, and the others appeared behind him, faces pale in the flickering light. Slowly, Moon's glow began to fade. The storm stilled.
For a moment — peace.
Then the PA system crackled.And a familiar voice filled the air.
"You can't fight what you were made to be… my Moonlight."
The voice echoed through every speaker, calm, commanding, cold.
Moon's eyes widened in terror."Papa…"
The lights went red. The building trembled.And every pane of glass in the lab shattered at once.
Wind howled. Sparks rained from the ceiling.Hopper burst through the door, shouting —"Get her out of here!"
But Moon was frozen, staring into the reflection of a man she couldn't escape.
"Come home, my child."
The power went out.
The screen went black.