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"Eleven," Mike spoke quietly as he walked closer to her.
"Mike," El mumbled as the two embraced each other in a tight hug, both of them crying.
"Is that..?" Max trailed off, Sam nodding slightly, her eyes still fixated on El. She looked so different. Her hair was slicked back, she had dark makeup around her eyes, and her clothes were completely different to what she had worn before.
After the two pulled away from each other, El and Sam locked eyes. Sam smiled and walked over to her, finally letting go of Max's hand. A few tears fell as she pulled El into a tight hug.
"I missed you so much," Sam whispered.
"I missed you, too," El spoke back, her speech better than it was last time Sam had seen her.
The night El was taken from them still haunted her. Though the girls weren't too close, Sam felt that they were alike in a lot of ways. She made her feel less alone.
Sam pulled away and looked into the girls eyes for a moment. She couldn't believe she was standing right in front of her.
"I never gave up on you," Mike spoke again. "I called you every night. Every night for —"
"353 days," El finished for him. "I heard."
"Why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?"
"Because I wouldn't let her," Hopper said from behind them, Sam whipping her head around. "The hell is this? Where you been?" he walked closer El.
"Where have you been?" she sassed.
He pulled her in for a one-armed hug and realization flashed in Sam's eyes.
"You've been hiding her," she said quietly. "You've been hiding she this whole time!" she repeated louder, shoving Hopper.
"Hey!" he turned and grabbed Sam by her shirt. "Let's talk. Alone."
Sam had a look of terror on her face. In that moment, Hopper reminded her a lot of her father.
He pulled her into another room and shut the door. Trying to forget about her fear, Sam immediately began yelling at him.
"Protecting her! Protecting her?"
"Listen. Listen to me. The more people know about her, the more danger she's in. And the more danger you and your family are in —"
Hopper finally put the gun down, making her feel a little more safe.
"Oh, what? So I should be thanking you?"
"I'm not asking you to thank me! I'm asking you to try to understand."
"I don't! I don't understand!"
"That's fine. That's fine! Just do not blame her! Alright? She's upset enough as it is."
