After the Fall

You're here (Fluff and angst)

The door slams open, his shoulder burning the process of him slamming the door open but he doesn't care. He gathers his thoughts, trying to remember where to go to get to his destination.

"Can I help you?" The rude receptionist at the desk states, her glasses at the tip of her nose while she looks at Lucas with a bored expression.

Lucas ignores her, remembering he has to take the elevator. No, no no not the elevator, it will go way too slow and he needs to get there fast. He looks around, seeing the door that is labeled stairs and he makes a break for it. He ignores the receptionist yelling at him.

He thanks the heavens at least him being apart of the basketball team had a positive effect on his body and endurance of running. He runs up the flights of stairs, not stopping for a mere second. His breaths become heavy but he doesn't dare stop, he doesn't have time to stop. He finally makes it to the eleventh floor, running for the room that he very well knows, the room he has been in for the past year now.

515

Lucas stands at the closed door, his heart pounding out of his chest. He takes a few breaths before opening the door.

Joyce, Hopper, Johnathan, Nancy, Steve, Robin, Eleven, Mike and Dustin stand in the room, all eyes turning to him. That is when he sees it...

That is when he sees her...Max. She still has cast on her legs and one of her arms, not yet being fully healed. Her eyes, they are still a clouded blue, letting Lucas now she cannot see. Eleven and Mike holds Max up, both of them smiling brightly at Lucas.

It is like a huge weight that he has been holding onto for the past year has been washed away, stripped away from him right here and right now because she is here. Max is here and she is breathing, she is moving. He doesn't know why he stands frozen, maybe he just having a hard time processing, a series of overwhelming emotions fills him, most of it all of them being joy.

Max looks around, only being able to see streaks of things. She holds onto Eleven and Mike while she looks ahead of her. She sees streaks of brown skin, a blue shirt tank top maybe? Max immediately recognizes the person, she doesn't have to see him to know he is there. Max smiles, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Lucas?" She speaks, her voice soft, full of emotion.

It makes Lucas break, running over to her and hugging her tightly. Mike and Eleven both draw away, them looking at each other with content smiles.

Lucas wraps his strong arms around her waist, bringing her very close to him. He practically smushes Max against him, his head going in the crook of Max's neck. She is here, her voice, her smell...this is her...this is finally her.

Lucas panics when he hears Max grunt a little. "I'm sorry! Am I hurting you?!" He quickly questions, drawing away but being sure to hold onto her that way she doesn't fall.

"No it's just my leg. I'm fine." Max answers. She slowly reaches forward, only being able to see just a little, barely anything. Her hand finds his cheek, putting her hand on his cheek. Lucas lets her, seeing her move her eyes a little while she feels Lucas face a little. Max smiles, her eyes becoming watery.

"We'll leave you both alone. We're going to see the process of discharging her." Joyce mentions, beckoning for everyone to leave the room. Everyone goes to leave out of the room, Joyce being the last one to leave and close the door behind her with a smile.

Lucas goes to sit Max down on the bed that way she doesn't use that much energy to stand up. Lucas gets on his knees in front of her, holding her hand against his cheek. He closes his eyes, a sense of calmness washing over him. He cannot find words right now, he really can't, it is all so overwhelming but in the best way possible. Max is here, after one year he is finally here with her, and Lucas will not let ANYTHING happen to her again.