Healing ||mileven||

The explanation

General POV

They couldn't all fit in the cabin so everyone made themselves comfortable on the ground outside. Mike sat with El, clutching her hand as if he was scared she would vanish without the anchor. She leant her head on his shoulder, comforted by his presence she felt protected.

Hopper broke the silence that had descended over the group, "I guess we should explain" he said, looking over to Joyce.

"I'll fucking say" said Mike through clenched teeth, seething with anger. El squeezed his hand slightly and a calming feeling swept over him.

Hopper proceeded to tell them about his meetings at the lab with Brenner and the agreement he'd been forced to make knowing it was the only way he could both look for El and keep them all safe. He told them about the box in the woods, the day he found her and the condition she was in. And, finally, that he'd sworn Joyce to secrecy to protect them all, El included, while she healed. He wanted to tell them everything, no more secrets.

"But why is she here, in the woods?" asked Max. "You said you took her home".

El opened her eyes at this and met Hopper and Joyce's eyes momentarily, then she looked down at the ground, like she was ashamed. "I had to leave, it wasn't safe" she said.

"Safe? What do you mean? Were the bad men coming?" asked Mike.

She shook her head no, continuing to look at the ground. "No. Not safe...for them" she answered, glancing at Hopper and Joyce.

"I don't understand" said Will, "what were they in danger from?"

"Me" she whispered.

"She was unable to control her abilities, they were unstable, volatile. She practically destroyed my place" said Hopper.

"What, so she causes a bit of damage and you make her live by herself in the woods?! You're no different than Brenner, only difference this time is that her prison doesn't have walls!" said Mike, getting angry again.

"No, Mike. This was her choice. Joyce and I tried everything, but El told us she'd just leave if we didn't help her. At least this place was safe, she had food, space, and no one would get hurt if she lost control".

They all sat there in silence, no-one knowing what to say. "So, what do we do now?" asked Nancy, "she can't stay here forever, it'll be winter soon, and it's not good for her being by herself, she needs a family, someone to care for her", she met Mike's eyes with her last statement but couldn't read his expression.

"Hopper has been organising paperwork for her, so if the lab come for her we have the law on our side...it's the best we can do", said Joyce. "Once we have it she can come home, with me, I'll take care of her".

"We have it Joyce, it came through yesterday, you just need to come and sign it" said Hopper, a slight smile on his face. Joyce's face lit up.

"She's not spending another night here alone" said Mike resolutely, "I made her a promise, I intend to keep it, whether you agree or not she's coming home".

"Mike..." Nancy started.

"He's right" interrupted Joyce, "but she has to come with me Mike, your mom, she doesn't understand, she doesn't know El. She's safer at my place. Will, Jonathan, is that ok, if El stays with us?" They both nodded in agreement.

"Ok, I need to tie up some loose ends at the station. Joyce, come with me and sign the paperwork. Nancy, you'd better get these kids home..."

That last statement drew protests from the gang. "Hey, you can't make us leave". "I'm not going". "I'm staying".

"Look! Brenner's men haven't been around so much recently, but they're still there, in the background. All it takes is one of them to see us all together and they'll suspect something. All of us being seen together is enough to bring them out in force. We'll meet up later, somewhere out of the way."

"El, you'll need to stay here for now. Until all the papers are signed you're not safe".

"Well, when are we gonna meet, and where?" said Nancy. "We can't let her stay here another night. I can't, knowing she's here by herself, it's not right".

"Like I said, it has to be somewhere out of the way, if they suspect I've been hiding her this whole time, then we're all in danger, and this cabin is far too close to the lab to risk another get together like this. Where is easy for El to get to? Where else does she know?" asked Hopper.

"The quarry, by the beach, the one where they...where they found Will's body" said Lucas excitedly, knowing his friend was almost home. "She's been there, it's easy to find, it's all downhill".

"Ok, this evening, 1800 hours. I'll block the road from the top, just in case, we don't want Hawkin's Lab making their way down there accidentally. Jonathan, you drive your mom, Nancy, you bring the kids".

"No way!" said Max.

"We're staying with El, we'll get her there, and then she can go home." said Mike firmly. El smiled at him, squeezing his hand slightly.

...........................