Break and Mend | "Lost and Found" Sequel

Chapter Seventeen: The Gate

A/N: One more chapter after this <3

Warnings: blood, guns, violence, sedation, racism (Billy towards Lucas), mentions of death/dying

Word Count: 7721

There wasn't anything in the world keeping Mike and Eleven from moving closer to each other. All he had to do was whisper her name before he was wrapped in her arms. In a gasp, she whispered his name back. Everyone else sweetly watched from the side as the two silently cried into their embrace. After awhile, Mike pulled away with a smile. "I never gave up on you. I called you every night. Every night for-"

"353 days." El shook her head happily. "I heard."

Mike's smile fell. "Why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?"

"Because I wouldn't let her."

He turned away to face Hopper, who was staring at El with such a gentleness that was too pure for a Chief to give some random girl. It told a deeper story of a cop finding a lost little girl, taking her in, caring for her, losing her and then getting her back again. He wasn't sure what happened between the losing and getting back, but he was so glad to know that she was fine.

But she still broke the rules.

"The hell is this?" He asked as he moved closer to her. "Where have you been?"

"Where have you been?"

In response, he pulled her into a hug. That was enough for Mike to piece everything together. "You've been hiding her. You've been hiding her this whole time!" He lunged forward, shoving Hopper in his back.

"Hey!" The Chief stumbled and grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt. "Let's talk. Alone."

As soon as Hopper led Mike away to Jonathan's bedroom, Nancy rushed up to her sister and wrapped her in her arms. Doc grinned and reciprocated the hug. "Don't you ever do that again! No one knew where you were and we just thought... W-We thought..."

"I know. I'm sorry," Doc whispered, running a hand up and down her back. "I'm sorry, Nance."

Doc received a kiss on the cheek before Nancy pulled away with a smile, wiping away some of her relieved tears. Jonathan stepped up to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing her to his side. "Hey. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." She sniffled, becoming choked up at the knowledge that even Jonathan was worried about her. She had truly underestimated the love people had for her. She turned to see Steve smiling, stretching an arm out. With a chuckle, she pulled away from Jonathan and went up to him, wrapping her arms around his middle. "You miss me?"

Steve set one hand on her shoulder and the other utop her beanie-clad head. "Yeah, I missed you, you little shit. You have any idea how worried we were?"

"I think I have some idea."

Her friends were her next stop. Lucas and Dustin waited expectantly for a hug. Letting out a breath, she wrapped her arms around the both of them and pulled them in tight. Lucas's hand rubbed her back with Dustin's arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Now before you two start-"

"Where in the hell have you been?!"

"Where did you get those clothes?!"

"You know I had to call both your friends to ask about you? You know that, right? Don't ever make me do that again!"

"Next time, don't tell everyone ten different things before you run away for a few days."

Doc pulled away with a playful frown on her face. "Next time? Alright, fine, I'll tell you all the same thing next time," Her face softened. "I missed you weirdos."