Please stay M.M

2- part 5

After my shower last night it was safe to say I was quick to fall asleep. Nancy was kind enough to share her bed for the night, as I assured my aunt and uncle I would be out of their hair today.
I walked down stair, freshly clothed in another set of robin clothes that Nancy had. I saw Mike sitting at the dining table eating breakfast. My last footstep being louder than expected his head whipped around.
"Sarah!" He jumped up engulfing me in a hug. Never in my days had Michael wheeler given me a hug. But this was nice, this is what I missed.
"Hey wheeler" my smile grew as he dragged me to the table to eat with him.
"Mom is it alright if I take Sarah around to everyone today?" Aunt Karen's face was concerned, she cast a look across the room,
"Yes, but Nancy will drive you guys"
We all nodded, Mike hadn't dared to cross any lines with his parents since the Vecna attack. Breakfast ended quickly, as Nancy gave me time to grab my belongings, Mike scrambled his own bag of items for the day.
The three of us piled in the car, the two siblings in the front as I sat in the back, fist stop was the Sinclair's.
As soon as the car stopped Lucas popped outside, "Mike cmon my mom gonna kill me if I'm out ag-" his eyes widen, "Sarah!" The boy ram inside and back out dragging an annoyed Erica with him both engulfing me.
"Holy shit!" Erica said resizing who she was hugging.
We stayed catching up for a few minutes before making our way down the rode to Dustin's, letting the two get back to their house before mrs Sinclair killed us.
As I knocked on the door, the living room curtained opened to see a very nervous ms. Henderson. This woman was a mother to everyone, but she was so afraid.
"Dusty, there's a girl at the door!" Heavy fast paced footsteps approached giving me no time to react before Dustin tackled me to the ground, "Jesus! Dusty your a bit strong there." I breathed out. I halted laughed before realising the boy on top of me was crying.
"He's gone, a-and max almost... and then you were gone a- I- I can't do this forever." I gripped into his shirt slowly sitting up.
"Dustin it's ok, I promise it'll get better. You know, suzie asked me to give you a hug from her when I got here." He stayed silent.

Despite only meeting Dustin in person this year, I had known the boy for years. Back when Mike and I would call each other I could always hear snarking comments from Dustin in the background as they played dnd some nights. One night Dustin actually answered the phone and we talked for 20 minutes before Mike noticed. Our bond only grew stronger as we battled together against the real monsters.

After 10 minutes of endless tears and hugs Dustin mother grew worried, she had gone a whole day without him yesterday, and she wasn't about to do it again. So we deciding to continue our journey. Nancy had chosen to pick up Steve and Robin, the two practically lived together as siblings in Steve's house now, maybe I could room there aswel. The both jumped in the car, Robin replacing Mike and Steve squishing in the back next to Mike and I.
Our second last stop was Byers. We pulled into hoppers old cabin, seeing him on the porch with a concerned face, Joyce walking out behind him.
Both of them quickly signing in relief as the saw me climb out of-
Actually I was pushed out of the car by Steve who was pushed out by and annoyed Mike. The two adults welcoming us in, Will and el hugging me tightly.
"I tried for months. Using old jumpers and shirts max had. But it wasn't until last month I finally found you." El spoke. We gathered in the living room sitting in a circle like manner.
"It was crazy, I thought I might have been gone a month tops. But that day we were doing mind tests. It was like the worlds hardest game of hide and seek."
"Hide and seek?" Eleven asked confused
"Wait? So you were in a lab this whole time?" Hopper asked worried about me. My eyes dropped to my sleeve, slowly tugging it up, "yea" my voice was quiet.
They all stared at the tattoo on my arm, Joyce wrapped her arm around me again rubbing her thumb on my shoulder.
"Then that day we figured out where I was, I don't know. Someone had found the lab and raided it almost. I was tugged out of the void and thrown into a van."
"And then what?"
"I busted the door open in Salt Lake City and somehow ran into suzie."
"Suzie?" Hipper and Joyce asked
"Suzie poo" I said laughing, "Dustin's girlfriend."
"Wow"
We continued our light chatter before Nancy looked at her watch.
"We should probably get home before mom starts calling police."
"Right, we'll I-" I couldnt go back to the wheelers at 4 o'clock in the afternoon without seeing the main person I worried about.
"You can come stay with us?" Robin pondered, "there's still another spare room at Steve's."
"Really?"
"Of course" Steve smiled at me, he really was our protective mother.
We piled back into the car and drove to Steve's, "tell your mum thankyou for last night" I said to Nancy before she drove away. I stood in the driveway looking at Steve opening the door. Robin stood beside me.
"Hey Steve I'm gonna take Sarah for a drive to se the damage around town!" Robin ushered me to Steve's car
"You can drive!?"
"Steve taught me" Robin shrugged getting in the car.
I payed no attention to where we were going but we seemed to be heading further away from the damaged town.
"Robin this isn't a very sight seeing sort of place."
"You think that was the truth? Wow maybe I can lie. No I know where you want to go. I'll wait in the car for you." Robin parked
"What?" I said before looking ahead of us, after the event max and her mother had moved back into loch nora. I slowly stepped out of the car shutting the door. My face was pale and my feet moved on their own, my head was filled with no thoughts.
My hand shakily rose to eyes height as I momentarily paused. Looking back at robin in the car, she smiled and and nodded.
I placed three short taps on the wooden door, fiery red hair appeared in the doorway. I went to talk but the sound came out more like a whisper.
"Hey."