All I Want Is You -Elmax

The Flayed

[Max POV]

     It was about 11:00 PM now, I was in Mike's room with El, he let us stay in here so we could have some privacy. I stripped El from her bottoms and unbuttoned her shirt then undid her ponytail so she could be comfortable and cool down. I sat there at the edge of his bed holding her in my arms looking down at her, she laid silently with her eyes closed, breathing hard, her face pale, eyes sunken in. I've never seen her so drained like this. I was scared something bad could happen, after seeing what happened tonight, I don't want any worse to come to her. I don't want to lose her...like I almost did.

     She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me, I grinned softly. In response she closed her eyes again and buried her face in my chest exhaling slowly. I decided it would be best to let her lay down and sleep properly. I stood up carrying her in my arms then turned to lay her down on Mike's bed. When she was settled I went and turned the light off and slipped my shoes off. Before I went and laid down by El I slipped my shirts off and dropped them to the floor then continued to get in bed. Upon laying down El scooted closer to me burying her face in my neck and placing her hands on my shoulders. I kissed her cheek and wrapped my arms around her and rubbed her back listening to her breathe slowly in my ear. I prayed she'd be okay. I prayed Billy was okay. I didn't want to lose them. I couldn't lose them.

-

"I found him." El said sitting on Mike's basement couch, I sat in front of her on the floor with the rest of the group around us. I didn't think it was a good idea to use her powers, last night drained her, and I mean it really drained her, it made her sick. Whatever this is 'caused some kind of damage, we need to preserve the use of her powers so whatever this is doesn't hurt her anymore.

"Where is he?" Eliza asked.

"Woods. He's with, Wills mom."

"My mom?" Will questioned.

"Where are they going?" Mike asked.

"Ill...annoy...they're going to Ill-annoy."

"Mike! Breakfast!" Mrs. Wheeler called. I got up from the floor and walked over to El, slowly taking her blindfold off.

"Not now mom! Illinois? Illinois like the state? The state of Illinois?"

"I-Ill-annoy." El stuttered.

-

"What's taking them so long?" Mike asked staring at the bathroom.

"I don't know, maybe they're just minding their business." Eliza said.

"I didn't mean for it to come out that, I just...he's so complicated!" Mike exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Eliza, Lucas, and I asked.

"It's just feels like one minute he's mad at me, then the next he...he just..."

"He what?" We questioned in unison.

"It doesn't matter." He crossed his arms and looked back at the door.

"What did you guys fight about anyway?" Eliza asked.

"I said, it doesn't matter." Lucas and Eliza looked at each other then back to Mike. I looked back at the door with Mike thinking about El rather than Mike and Wills relationship issues. They were taking awfully long. I hope she was alright.

"Max? Did you hear me?" Eliza asked.

"...Maybe we shouldn't use her powers."

"What?" They all questioned.

"Guys, just look at what happened to her last night. Hell, look at her now. I know, it takes time for her to get better but when has it ever taken her this long? Has it ever effected her this badly?" The three of them looked at each other. I turned back to the door and stared. "We can't rely on her. Not only her. We need to find out what's really 'causing this. What made the Flayer come back. And if it's the gate, maybe we can find out who or how it was opened, and find another way to close it." They looked at one another once more before we were startled by a knock at the door.