Dear Family

Chapter 29: Redemptions

All of them sit in the living room together in Joyce's house with the exception of Max and Lucas since they are upstairs. They all just take a minute of silence, them going in detail with Joyce and Hopper since they didn't know much about the situation.

"I knew it was something..." Dustin is first to mention after some long minutes of silence. "...but I didn't know it was this."

"I feel like a complete jerk." Mike says.

"Mike you didn't know." Eleven assures.

"Yeah but still, I mean I was acting like a jerk when I lost you and-"

"Yeah and he knew that." Eleven interrupts, going to take Mike's hand. "He was there whenever I got taken away and I was lost, he was there. We were not there when Lucas was in the upside down. We all couldn't have known." She says while looking around at all of them.

"Lucas doesn't want us feeling bad or anything, what matters is what we are going to do about it now." Steve mentions. "We gotta be there for him."

"We have to keep reminding him everyday that we are here and we are going to support him." Robin adds in.

"He's right." Hopper mentions, him leaning on the wall. "What's done is done, it is in the past. We can't keep thinking about the past we need to move forward. It matters what we do now."

All of them nod their heads in understanding, them knowing that to be true. The thought still lingers in their mind though, their hearts tightening at the mere thought of Lucas not being here if they were just a minute to late, if Mike was a minute to late.

"Nants." Robin says, looking at Nancy sitting on the couch daydreaming. "You didn't know." She assures.

Nancy nods while rubbing her chin slightly. "I know I just...I just wished I listen to you Steve when you said to be subtle."

"Like Robin said Nants you didn't know. Plus he thanks you for not being subtle." Steve says.

"Yeah his exact words were 'the slap knocked some sense into me'." Dustin smiles. All of them chuckle lightly, them just growing silent after a minute. "But seriously, in order for us to help Lucas...." He starts glancing around at everyone. "....we have to face our regrets as well, come to terms with things and move on."

"Words to live by."

They all turn to see Lucas making his way down the stairs, him holding Max bridal style. He goes to sit Max down on the couch by Eleven, Eleven immediately taking Max's hands and Max smiling while she leans on her shoulder.

Lucas makes his way in front of the room, his hands going behind him while he glances at all of them. "I look at everything, everything that I have said, everything that I have done and yet all of you are still with me right now, there for me. I want to thank you all for that and deeply apologize. It doesn't matter what I was going through because all of you are going through something too, I wasn't any different. I want to sincerely apologize for that, just like you all are there for me I want to be there for you all as well, which is why from here on out, I will be."

"Robin, I saw how desperate you were to find a job, because even though a lot don't see it you are independent and responsible and you want to go on and transition to your adulthood. Get your own place and make your own money. You will definitely get there, I know you will because you have that mindset."

"Nancy, I really really hope you don't feel bad about earlier because I don't. You showed me that I was being ridiculous. One thing that I have come to learn is not only are you a badass but you are also the voice of reason. When everyone is anxious you are the voice that upbuilds and encourages, you proved that at the war. You know it is all over the news, you are the voice of Hawkins Nancy. I really hope you expand that by going to the post, because I know you have lots and lots of opportunities opening for you but I feel that the post will be the one place where your voice will expand all around the world."