Healing ||mileven||

Control

General POV

History class was El's least favourite subject, she had never learnt anything about the current world while locked up in the lab, let alone any history. She had to learn absolutely everything from scratch and so it was a huge strain on her. Today they were looking at different forms of slavery, historical and more modern forms. "Hey, miss, what about freak shows? You said that parents sometimes sold their kids, and that they'd have to perform or be sold to doctors for experiments" asked Troy, of course, who was looking at El the whole time. He'd not forgotten the beating he gave her, and was sick of her interfering with his bullying and intimidation, so he smirked when he saw how uncomfortable his question made her.

"Good question, Troy. Yes, it could be considered to be a form of slavery, these kids had no choice, they had to do as they were told, owned by the shows, sometimes medical labs. They had to perform using their 'gifts' for the public or medical establishment, probably punished..."

El didn't hear the rest, it was all getting too much, she was feeling overwhelmed, it was like a dam had burst and her stream of consciousness had become a tsunami, flashbacks invading her mind. She was starting to hyperventilate and feel dizzy, she couldn't make sense of what the teacher was now saying, it was like the most intense anxiety washing over her. Not again, not here.

Mike saw her across the room and knew something was wrong, she was gripping the edges of her desk until her knuckles were white with the strain, her eyes closed tight, clearly in distress he saw as she released her grip and practically ran for the exit, knocking a couple of tables in the process. "El?" said the teacher, looking concerned.

Mike raised his hand immediately, "may I?" he asked, tilting his head towards the door. The teacher glanced at Mike and gave him permission to go. He ran into the corridor and saw her pacing from the lockers to the doubles doors that lead to the sports field, she was alternating between rubbing her hands together, against her legs, and pulling at her hair. "El? El! What's wrong?"

"I...I don't know" she said between fast breaths, "I can't..."

"El, its ok, calm down" he said approaching her. Face to face now he gently put his hands on her upper arms to try and keep her still, in return she grabbed his shirt on his chest but only for a few seconds, she unconsciously pulled back out of his grip, shaking her hands as if trying to rid herself of this feeling, she had to get the panic out somehow.

She felt like she was trapped, her instinct was to lash out with her powers and she was terrified of hurting Mike. "Mike...I...I don't want to hurt you, you need to get away from me", tears were flowing and she couldn't control her breathing, "you need to run Mike, I'm scared of what I might do."

"No, I can't leave you alone like this." Mike was scared that she would run off, like when Lonnie attacked her, but that this time she might not come back. Thinking about their sessions, what Peter had said about finding an outlet for her, and the time Lonnie had attacked them, he had an idea. Opening the doors to the outside and pointing to the running track, he said "El, run, run as fast and as far as you can. I'll be right here, I'll be waiting for you when you need me."

She looked him in the eye as she slowly approached the doors till she was level with him, then she turned her gaze outwards, as if seeing the outside for the first time again, and she ran. She ran for over an hour, she ran through the rain that came, she ran as if her life depended on it, she ran to let out all the pent-up energy contained within, all the frustration. The whole time she ran Mike was there watching her, amazed at her stamina, but also saddened as he knew why she ran, he probably understood her better than she did herself.

When El finally slowed to a walk Mike made his way to her, walking across the running track he saw her stop. She stared into the distance for a few seconds, dropped to her knees and, looking to the floor, screamed. Mike started sprinting to her. She was crying out, an almost guttural sound, and pounding the ground with her fists, letting out all her frustration and pain. He reached her in seconds, knelt and pulled her towards him in his arms. She leaned against him, gripping his shirt, and cried her heart out. They stayed there for a long time.

Mike walked El home alone that afternoon, the boys and Max knew what happened and knew to give El the space she needed. She was grateful as she felt embarrassed and ashamed of her actions, like she was a little kid who couldn't control herself. Mike seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, "El, you don't need to feel bad, I understand, we all understand."

She felt reassured and gave him a small smile, "what did I do to deserve you?" she said with a twinkle in her eye, bumping his shoulder gently with hers. She was rewarded by an embarrassed smile from Mike who proceeded to hold her hand in his, and, slowly walking side by side with him, she truly felt at peace for the first time in a while.

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