𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐗

𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍
NOVEMBER 4TH, 1984
MIDNIGHT

Scarlette couldn't help but smile as she watched her two friends—who were hopelessly in love with each other—reunite. "Eleven?" Mike's voice wavered with disbelief, his expression a mixture of shock and joy. Eleven stood there, equally stunned, her eyes wide with recognition. "Mike?" she breathed, and before they knew it, they were in each other's arms, enveloped in a hug that spoke volumes—one filled with longing, relief, and an unbreakable bond.

Scarlette felt a gentle hand at the small of her back and turned to find Henry standing beside her, his touch reassuring. He seemed more at ease now, a silent acknowledgment that Mike's affections lay solely with Eleven. It was a revelation that surprised Scarlette; she hadn't realized Henry had felt even a hint of jealousy toward Mike. But as she glanced back at him, she noticed his gaze was still fixed on the couple, and something flickered in her chest—an understanding that deepened their connection.

"Is that..." a voice broke the silence, faint and tentative. Scarlette strained to identify who had spoken, but the emotion in the room silenced everyone, holding them in a breathless pause. "I never gave up on you. I called you every night. Every night for—"

"353 days. I heard," Eleven replied, her voice thick with emotion. The two stood facing each other, tears shimmering in their eyes like stars against a night sky, while the rest of the group looked on in awe, captivated by the powerful moment unfolding before them.

As Mike absorbed the weight of Eleven's words, realization washed over his face. She had heard him, every single call echoing into the void, just as Scarlette had done, leaving her with a deep frown of confusion. All Mike had ever wanted was a sign, any sign, that she was safe. "Why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?" he asked, his voice trembling with a mix of relief and desperation.

Scarlette's heart ached for them, for the love that had weathered the storm of distance and silence. In this moment, they were not just friends; they were a testament to the power of love and resilience, a bond that could withstand even the darkest of times.

A voice pierced through the tense atmosphere, unexpected and commanding. Out of all the people who could have hidden Eleven, it was him—Hopper. Scarlette's mouth dropped open in disbelief, a mixture of shock and relief flooding her senses. She knew the chief would do anything to protect her; after all, they had all feared for nearly a year that she was lost to them. "Because I wouldn't let her," Hopper declared, striding toward El with a fierce determination.

As the gravity of his words sank in, every eye in the room turned to him, a collective breath held in anticipation. "The hell is this? Where have you been?" he demanded, his voice a blend of concern and authority as he looked down at his daughter figure. The sight warmed Scarlette's heart, a soothing balm against the chaos around them. El leaned back slightly, and Hopper enveloped her in a protective embrace, kissing the top of her head tenderly. For a moment, everything else faded away, and it was just them—father and daughter, reunited at last.