breaking point ; mileven.

thirty-seven.

mike groaned in annoyance when he woke up and noticed his other side of the bed empty.

el had came back last night to get into bed with him but it seems she has now gone again.

looking up, he noticed her stuff still here which made him get up and see if she was downstairs.

hopefully she was.

"ma," mike smiled seeing karen cooking in the kitchen.

karen turned, giving him a peck on the cheek, "morning, michael. here, sit, have some breakfast."

"have you seen el?" he asked and looked around but she shook her head, "no, is she not upstairs?"

he rolled his eyes and sighed.

"this fucking girl," he mumbled and pulled out his phone.

"mike, maybe she needs some space." karen said, "she told me what happened before."

"what do you mean?" he looked up as karen led him to sit down.

"that girl has been let down over and over again." she told him, "she was told she was never good enough, she counted on others to fill that missing hole."

"her brothers,"

karen nodded. "yes. but now she is let down by one she loves most. she is strong, but even the strongest women has a breaking point. she needs her space now, everything that has happened is all too much for her. a little girl can't take this much at once,"

"i know that and i know el. i know her well enough to know that i need to catch her before she falls," he told her.

"i know. but you should also know if you push too hard, you might just be the one to push her right off," she whispered to him.

"he broke her trust. they broke it for good together. she's been held within this space and this mindset and she will burst soon, i know it, mike. so don't push, don't yell, you need to listen."

"i will."

"good. now find her because it will storm soon," she smiled at him and he stood up to give her a hug, "thank you, ma,"

"of course," she smiled, "and mike?"

he turned by the entrance and hummed. "yes?"

"be gentle." she warned, "you know how you can be."

"i will," he nodded, "and i will listen."

"good. she's smart, know that her decisions are thought through and are too. don't doubt el." karen reminded him and he smiled, "i never do,"

*

"el, it's raining, let's go home," mike said as he arrived at the pier, "it's dangerous by the water," he said and sat down next to her on the bench.

through the raindrops on her face, he could still mask out the tears mixed with them.

"el?" he called out to her and she looked up slowly with her eyes swollen and red.

"are you even real?"

his eyebrows furrowed. "of course i am. el, what is this?"

"it's just.." her voice cracked as she looked out to the water, "so much has happened. so much i have found out and none of it seems real. there's so much.. so much pain and it's so overwhelming and i can't help but think if this is all just a dream because it's just.. it's unreal!"

"el," he held her hand, "i am real,"

"then i'm fucked," she didn't meet his gaze, "i.. it means i killed all those innocents. it means i was unwanted," she stood up to the railings and looked at the water, "it means emerson did hit me," she sobbed at the realisation.

he stood up to go hold her and to pull her into his chest as she quietly cried. she trembled in his grasp and her breathing heaved by each cry but he didn't let go.

"i don't want this pain anymore," she whimpered, "why did i do this? why!?" she dug her nails into her palm and he quickly shushed and opened her tight fist.

she looked up at him, "take me back. take me back to where it all went wrong,"

he looked at her in confusion. "what?"

"you said.." she chocked on her words, "you said you can turn back the clock. take me back, take us all back to the day i woke up in the hospital. the day i decided to do all this,"

he shook his head, "no. that will mess up with the timeline. we can't—"

"maybe this is how it's supposed to go!" she exclaimed. "maybe you are supposed to bring us back."

"but what if it's not!?" he shouted which made her flinch and sink down.

she looked up again. "make everyone think. make them think it is january 23rd. please, i beg you, mike. i can't take it anymore, please," she dropped to her knees, "please," she sobbed and begged.

"no, dove," he pulled her up as she leaned against him and cried harder.

"it hurts too much. please, make everyone think it was then. make it all the same. we will start from there again and nothing will go wrong." she told him.

she thought it all through. she wanted it to end. she didn't want to live like this anymore.

but sadly, she didn't think it through enough.

"okay, baby," he caressed her arms and nodded, "yes, i will do it. yes." he would honestly do anything for her, regardless of how dangerous and wrong it was.

"really?" she looked up with the widest smile.

"yes." he smiled. "but it'll take me some time. you want everything to be the same?"

"i want to wake up like i did that day." she told him and he nodded, "then i'll need to wait till night time."

she held his hand, "thank you, thank you,"

"you have to remember me though, el. you need to remember us, do you promise me?" his voice cracked as a small tear rolled down his cheek.

she smiled sadly and wrapped her arms around his neck before she pulled him down. "my feelings for you were always here," she placed his palm to her heart, "no matter what, my feelings for you are still here. i'll always be here with you,"

"i'll always come back to you, el," he silently whispered before leaning in to capture her lips.

"me too, mike," she held his face and leaned her forehead to his and they both closed their eyes to remember this moment.

"i'm sorry," she whispered as he shook his head.

"baby, we've been through this. no apologies," he let out a little laugh to lighten the situation, "i love you, el."

"i love you more, mike. seriously, thank you for loving me. thank you for accepting me. thank you for everything." she exhaled shakily.

"no, thank you. you made my days brighter, i thought my life was over after my mom got sick. but you made it better," he kissed her nose and continued to kiss her cheek and lips.

"am i selfish?" she exhaled.

"no, dove," he reassured her, "you're not selfish." he caressed her knuckles and then smiled at her gently, "you just have been hurt too much."

"thank you for not yelling at me,"

"i would never," he pecked her lips over and over again to savour the moment, "i will always support you,"

she nodded and let out the tiniest smile, "we should go home now, cupcake," she pushes away the wet strand of hair stuck to his forehead, "i don't want you to get sick, baby,"

he let out a smile, holding onto her hand then nodded.

"let's go home now."

and back home they went.

*

a/n: what do u guys think will happen? and what do you guys think happened 18 years ago?

let me know your thoughts!!