Don't Be Afraid (Stranger Things Fanfiction)

Retrieving El

Mortifer's P.O.V.

   Alright. It seems I'm about caught up on this end. The adults and little ones have told me all they can.
   Well, almost all that they can I think to myself as I eye the two boys Mike and Will. I'll need to speak with those two privately to discover what they are holding back.
   "Alright everyone I think that'll do for the moment." I interject to their discussing their shared information.
   "What do you mean?" Hopper asked inquisitively.
   "I mean we've been here for a couple hours and had nothing to eat." I explain brightly as I stand up. "I would be a terrible host if I did nothing to remedy this."
   "I think we're all fine." Hopper started.
   I let some of the Gift touch my eyes before saying, "Regardless, I must insist."
   The whole room went silent. No doubt from seeing my eyes in such a state, but I just casually walk over to the kitchen and begin getting to work.
   After a while into my cooking Joyce Byers makes her way over to me.
   "Hey there." She says with a gentle yet cautious smile.
   "Howdy." I smile back continuing with my preparations. "What can I do for you Ms. Byers?
   "Oh nothing. I was just coming to see if you could use any help."
   Odd. It had been awhile since anyone had offered to help me. I tried not to let my surprise show.
   "I appreciate the kind offer but I'm afraid that I'm nearly done." I manage while putting the finishing touches on everything.
   She nods in understanding and, if I might add, looking a little impressed too. "You work quick. Maybe once this all blows over you'll come cook at our house?"
   I chuckle. "Yes that sounds like a nice future time." There is a long silence. "You have something else you desired to say?" I remark with faint amusement knowing they all must still have so many questions about me.
   "Yes, um," she hesitates, "I just wanted to know why you're doing all of this. Helping us I mean. You could have turned a blind eye and let those thugs kill us. But you didn't. Why?"
   "Mortifer." I reply without missing a beat.
   "Mort...what?"
   "Mortifer." I repeat. "That is my name, and my reason."
   "Mor-tifer." She tests the name out. "Not your usual name you see nowadays. "
   "Neither was Eleven." I state and regret doing so when I see a deep sadness come over her. There is silence again.
   "Eleven. Can you help us get her back?" She asks with a hint of desperation in her eyes.
   I think for a moment before answering.
   "Kind of. When it comes to something like that I can only help out so much and in a certain way."
   "Why?" She has a confused look on her face, not that I blame her.
   "Because those are the rules." I state with finality.
   "Explain please."
   "Hard to. But it might be easier once I've had a one on one chat with the Wheeler boy Mike and your son Will."
   "Why do you need to talk to Will? I hear her protective mother side coming out. "And Mike." She adds as an afterthought.
   Not backing down in the slightest I say firmly, "Because they are both hiding something that could be of great importance."
   "Like what?" She seems taken aback.
   "I don't know." I admit. "But I kind of have a sixth sense for these kinds of things. Regardless, the food is ready. Help me take it in?"
   She does help me but her eyes appear to be looking at something far away. No doubt mulling over in her head all we had just discussed.

Mike's P.O.V.

   Well he certainly could cook one heck of a meal.
   After we were finished he casually asked to see me and Will out on the porch. Giving each other questioning looks we follow him outside.
   It was a gloomly day out right now, looking as though it was gonna rain, but the stranger, or Mortifer was his name, seemed to enjoy it all the more.
   "So gentlemen." He started. "Do you know why I wanted to speak to you two alone?"
   Will and I exchange glances and shake our heads.
   "Well..." He cocked his head a little to one side. "I wanted to hear what you two refained from saying in front of the parents." He said simply. Seemingly without a care in the world.
   "Um, um..." I stammered out looking guilty as hell.
   "What? We didn't hold anything back." Will lied more gracefully. "You know everything we know."
   Mortifer's face changed to an amused expression clearing seeing right through us. He chuckled before speaking. "Now Will, your attempt at decieving me was far superior than that of Mike's, no offense there Mike, but you'll have to be far more convincing if you ever want to pull the wool over my eyes." His eyes started glowing with that white fire again and we audibly swallowed. "Now listen." He said far more seriously. "This is important, and I want to help you all but you two need to tell me every detail you kept back."
   We both looked at each other uncertain.
   "Alright how about I help you two out." He coaxed. "The girl Eleven, who was closest to her?"
   My cheeks started to feel a little heated and I saw Will subconsciously look at me.
   Again Mortifer wore an amused expression. "Judging by the story I already have with you specifically being the one sheltering her at your family's house, Will's accidental pointed expression at you, and the fact that your face just changed a shade redder, I have my answer."
   And my face only turned all the more crimson, completely validating everything he just said.
   "Now tell me Mike." He pressed. "How did you feel about your friend Eleven?"
   Well that was a complicated answer, one I didn't really know how to put in words. Not right now anyway.
   "I, um, asked her to the Snowball." I mumble out.
   He seemed intrigued and slightly on the verge of breaking out laughing. Will just gawks at me in surprise.
   "This is a sort of school dance I presume?"
   I nod.
   "Dude you didn't tell me..." Will started.
   "You never asked." I say lamely turning back to Mortifer, figuring it was probably best to focus on one of my interrogators. He wore a curious look on his face now but it held a hint teasing in it.
   "Last I checked. One usually only asks someone to a dance for one of two reasons. With you, I can see pretty clearly which one it is." He grins wickedly making me feel pretty small.
   What's worse is, he's probably right.
   Figuring I couldn't be any more embarrassed I stand up straighter and say.
   "I promised her. That we would go I mean." Wow, it sure was hot out here. Maybe it was the humidity or something.
   Or something.
   His face grows serious again. "Promised." He echoes. "Hm, well that explains one rule. Now Will you're up next." He turns his inquisitive gaze over to Will, who visibly seems to get smaller. "You were in this place called the Upside-down for quite some time before the Chief and your mom found you strung up by otherworldly organisms. Do you suffer any aftereffects?"
   Will just stood frozen, knowing any lie he attempted would not be accepted. Finally, with a look of resignation on his face, he spoke.
   "You guys can't tell the others, promise?"
   "Done." Mortifer responds.
   They both stare at me intensely and I can just feel the pressure on. Not that it was needed of course. I wanted to hear what Will had to say.
   "Promise."
   Will accepts this and continues. "I puke up slugs from the Upside-down and then briefly appear there. Or at least I see it." He states flatly.
   I stare at him in shock. The question plain on my face. Why didn't you tell me?
   He meets my stare and smirks. "You didn't ask." But his smirk quickly recedes. "I wanted everything to be okay and I thought it would stop. But it hasn't."
   "We could have tried to help you." I exclaim.
   "How? They're in my body and I'm sure there's no way even a doctor could help." He says calmly.
   "But..."
   "No buts Mike. You know I'm right."
   I did. But that my friend was suffering all this time without my knowing it kind of shook me. What kind of friend am I?
   Mortifer had remained silent until now. "The last two puzzle pieces come together." He murmers before actually speaking up. "Okay, it is near what I expected. Kind of. We should be able to get this Eleven back but it has to be just the two of you, otherwise I cannot assist you in any way, and I suspect my assistance may prove useful yet."
   My heart soars. Get Eleven back? The one whom we've been searching for all this time? She could finally meet Will and we could go to the Snowball together.
   Just like I promised.
   "What do we need to do?" I ask, my heart starting to pound in excitement.
   "Yeah!" Will joins in.
   "First let me tell your parents we're going for a walk." He said, smile returning along with his common demeanor.
   "And then?" I can't help but ask with excitement as he starts to walk back into the house.
   He stops to look over his shoulder at me.
   "And then you'll take us to where you first found Eleven."