( If there is any disappointment here from Steve, it's pointed towards himself. Maybe he really had bit off more than he could chew here, but it's not like he could rely on the police officers left in the force to evaluate this problem since they didn't know about the Upside Down. With Hopper gone, with Joyce across the country, it fell on him to keep everyone safe.

And now look at him, he's gone and probably got himself killed. He feels the fingers at his back, and shrinks in defeat, not pausing to consider if those felt like the barrel of a gun or someone faking him out. If he just thought a little bit more he might be able to compare it to the time he actually did have a gun pressed into his back. )

First of all, I'm not a kid, I'm nineteen. And what am I doing here? Making sure you're not terrorizing my kids, that's what.

( He does let Felix take the bat from him, though. He's not that stupid, even if a small part of him maybe does have a death wish. As if something is missing from his life that he can't quite put a finger on. )

So what, you gonna kill me now? They're gonna find you eventually, probably even faster if you kill me.