Marigold - Lumax

Remember the Good Times

Wills Pov

El was sitting in a chair across from Lucas, who we sat on the couch, with her eyes covered and blood starting to come out of her nose. Hopper had moved the tv in the living room and turned it on, the room now being covered from the sound of static. When I really took a look at the shack and saw how broken down and destroyed it was, even after cleaning it. I admitted to myself that this house that was once Eleven's home was now just a destroyed hunk of a shack.

Hopper and Joyce sat in the kitchen patching each other up as they watched. Everyone knew the ones who would be talking to Lucas, trying to bring him back, would be Mike, Dustin, Steve, Jonathan, Nancy, and I.

For some reason now that it was time to basically pour our feelings out, in front of everyone, no one was pushing to go first. It was an awkward moment, to say the least, which didn't make much sense to me.

"So...." Steve breaking the silence. "Does anyone want to go first?"

This wasn't about connecting with Lucas' with past memories or what he liked and didn't. This was about getting deep, personal... emotional. With the hold 001 has on Lucas we have to pour out everything to make Lucas get the strength to fight back. To remind him he isn't alone, that we are all with him.

We didn't know how long we had before 001 would awake and retake control. Right now we could talk to Lucas without interruption and if our words worked El could get to Lucas and help him escape 001's grasp. I wasn't going to wait any longer even if it was embarrassing, I hadn't talked to Lucas in person since I got back. And the one time I did it was blaming him and judging him, I regretted it and I wanted to apologize, I wanted him to know I was sorry and that he means so much to me.

As I was about to walk forward Dustin walked past me kneeling in front of Lucas. "If you guys won't go I will."

Dustin had this determined look in his eyes since Lucas had his panic attack. I'd never seen him like this before. With Eddie dying, and Max being in her horrible state, Dustin didn't want to lose anyone else close to him. I couldn't blame him, he and Lucas went through the most trauma the night the gates opened from what I gathered. They needed each other and they definitely were there for each other. I guess somewhere in his mind Dustin felt like he wasn't there enough.

Dustin's determined face broke when he looked at Lucas' sleeping body and was filled with empathy and sadness, he touched his knee and closed his eyes for a bit, no longer than 30 seconds, and we could all hear the emotion in his breath.

"Lucas..." Dustin started. "I keep thinking... About high school... before everything happened. I... I wasted so much time with Dnd and Suzie and my own idea of what we wanted, that I didn't think of you. We went from always being together to barely hanging out, only seeing each other when you would plan out everything. Trying your best to keep us together. And then when El and Will came back to pack up and leave for good, we acted like all the distance and problems we had didn't exist. When you and Max were picking on me about my song I thought, 'were back.' But we weren't. It was just a lie I told myself... trying not to fix it myself. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for all the times I laughed at you when you told us about basketball, I'm sorry for not reaching out to you, I'm sorry for always denying the movies you wanted to watch. I didn't even think about what was going on with you and I want to fix that. I miss us... we were like the two side heroes of the group, never taking the spotlight and bantering between ourselves like an old married couple." Dustin chuckled, tears now running down his face. He took a shaky breath as he searched for the right words. "I love you man. Lucas, I love you, you're like my brother and I don't want to lose you. You've made me laugh the most, you've always been there for me, and I want to be there for you. I'm gonna try harder and I'm not gonna leave your side again. Please... I beg you... come back... fight... fight for us, fight for max... fight for yourself. Because there is no one I would want by my side other than you..."