Heartbroken//Mileven

Chapter 29

Mike rushes forward to hug her, squeezing as if they would never hug again. A tear leaks from his eyes as it dawns on him how much she means to him, his big sister, she could've been gone; forever. 

He feels her crying too, and they stand there, holding tightly, never wanting to let go. He felt El's arms wrap around him, then Dustin, Lucas, and then Max. Everyone was relieved as they walked back to the cabin, everything seemed almost normal again, except for Mike. 

He could feel his breath hiss between his teeth as he recovered from the hug, he felt as if someone had stabbed him. 

The infection, the one the group had seen before bandaging Mike's wounds, it was spreading. He could feel it everyday, the pain slowly eating away at him, pulling him into the darkness.

"Mike?"

He felt El's soft hand touch his face, pulling him back into reality. He smiles kissing her forehead;

"El I'm fine, don't worry about me."

He tries not to let his face contort as she rests her hand on his stomach. Almost sweating as she curiously lifts his shirt, he breathes heavy sigh of relief as Nancy yells from the cabin, startling El to drop the fabric.

 She gives him a worried glance before taking his hand and starting for the door. He was hiding something, she could sense it.

The whimpering has finally stopped, replaced with the slow breaths of sleep. Joyce sighs in relief, looking over at Will. 

He seemed at ease, peaceful even; but from afar. She knew that he was still having those dreams, the small intakes of breath confirming what only a mother could tell. She knew he was in pain, she could tell there were tears streaming down his pale little face; but she couldn't get to him. 

The door slams on the opposite wall revealing Brenner, followed by Ted and Karen. Flashlights shine around the dark room, producing protests from Joyce. "Hey what...Karen?"

"Joyce?! Oh my God Joyce!"

Karen struggles within the grasp of the agents, breaking his nose as she whips her head backward. Causing him to let go and crumple to the floor, Joyce watches in awe as she slams the door shut, locking it.

"I'll come back for you!"

"NO! Karen you don understand! Will, he, he's not well."

Contemplating, She pulls a gun from the floor, training it on the men as she unlocks the door.

"I need you to unlock these chains."

Brenner looks down on her, chuckling to himself.

"Why would I do anything for you?"

Karen suddenly points the gun down and shoots his foot, producing a scream from Brenner and yells from the agents all around them. Her voice is low and powerful, the gun now trained on his forehead.

"Unlock these chains now."

Nancy was telling the kids circled around her about all she had seen, especially what happened when she was in the dark. Dustin got really excited, explaining the never ending references to Dungeons and Dragons, always followed by confusion from Max and Nancy. 

El floats away from the table uninterested, she wanted to find Mike. He was in the bathroom, trying not to let his tears spill as he examines the black tendrils festering in his body.

 Startled as he hears a knock on the door he drops his shirt, scrambling as El walks in. Alarmed as she sees him on the floor, she gently shuts the door and bends down to him.

"Mike, you aren't okay are you?"

Tears well in her eyes as she catches sight of what had happened to his wound, knowing that this was all her fault. He knew what she was thinking, he knew that she was blaming all of this on herself. He pulls her hands away from her face, and smiles softly.

"El, it's not your fault, it's the monster's. Last time I  checked, you were never the monster-"

He brushes the tear tracking down her cheek with his thumb, caressing her face.

"You're my hero."

She throws her arms around his neck and the two sit in silence on the cold tile floor, watching through the window as the first snow of the season fell. Her head resting on his shoulder, Mike felt her breath become deep and steady, signifying she had fallen asleep. 

He chuckled lightly, scooping her up in his arms, and bringing her to her bed, despite the pointed looks from everyone sitting around the table outside. He lay her gently, covering her in the quilt that sat upon the foot of the bed. He kisses her forehead, smiling as she pulls him back down in a hug.

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we go outside?"

She laughs at his confusion, gestering to the flakes floating outside.

"I want to see the snow."

"You wha-"

She throws off the blanket, pulling him through the house and out the front door, dancing through the powder that littered the ground already.

"Mike come dance with me"

He smiled twirling after her through he trees, laughing as she tried to catch the snowflakes on her tongue. She grabs his hand and pulls him in, looking deep into his eyes as they slow dance to the rhythm of their own song. 

He watched as the snow caught in her hair, her eyelashes, melting as they touched her skin. Mike wipes the damp hair out of her face, causing her to blush as his touch brushes her mouth. She steps on his shoes, looking up at him, the top of her head barely  reaching his chin. She rolls her eyes and he smirks, bending down to finally connect their lips.

Nancy watched from the icy window as her baby brother made out with the love of his life surrounded by falling snowflakes. It almost seemed as if the scene were out of movie they were so perfect. 

She smiles, remembering what he had said about never liking her when she asked; she knew he was lying. Walking back to the table, the kids question where Mike is, then they realize what happened as soon as he two barge through the front door red faced with Hopper in tow.

 He looks more angry then embarrassed, protectively pulling El into the kitchen for a "chat". Mike sits on the couch, burying his face in the pillows, prompting Nancy to sit next to him. She pulls the pillow from his face laughing,

"I guess you were lying about not liking El."

He groans, rolling his eyes and flopping on his side in front of the fire, the flames reflecting off of his eyes.

"Nancy you have no idea how much I like her... I think maybe I even love her."

He rolls into his back, staring at the ceiling,

"I definitely love her."

"AWWW Mike's been bit by the love bug!"

He throws the pillow at her and laughs, rolling his eyes once again. She pulls him into a hug, and he doesn't pull away, hoping that he will always have Nancy to pull him through anything.

"Night Nanc."

"Night Mike."