Together Again

Chapter 2 - The Deputy (part 5)

  Mike and El sat huddled together in the waiting room. They had fallen asleep. Joyce sat across from them, clenching her hands into fists. Dustin and Will sat next to Joyce, talking quietly. They had been kicked out of Hoppers room so the doctors could run some more tests.

  Dustin's radio went off in his ear. "Guys! We tried both of your houses, where the hell are you?" It was Lucas.

  "We're at the hospital." Dustin replied

  "Oh no! Will! Is he okay? What happened?" Lucas was frantic

  "Lucas! I'm fine! It's Hop, he's unconscious." Will assured

  "Oh. I would come if I could but no one can give us a ride! Me and Max have to babysit Erica and her bratty little friends in half an hour."

  Suddenly Mike sat up abruptly. "Is that Lucas?"

  "Looks like Romeo woke up over there!" Dustin exclaimed.

  Mike rolled his eyes. "What is with you and calling everyone Romeo?"

  Just then the Robin walked in the door. Joyce look up and Dustin said "gotta go Lucas." Then he turned off his walkie talkie before he could hear Lucas curse because Dustin hung up. Mike shook El awake and she looked up to see what was going on. They all stood up to hear what she was going to say.

  Robin began talking. "We've never seen anything like this before. But it looks like he ate something about a year ago that has not been able to pass through his digestive system. It has caused him to become very sick. We believe he probably fell ill sometime this morning, and that caused him to pass out. He is not awake yet but I will let you know if anything more happens. We ask that you wait a few more minutes, and then we will let you see him again."

  Tears began to fall out of El's eyes. She didn't know what she could do to help him. She felt useless. Suddenly, she felt Mikes warm arms wrap around her. He held her close and she leaned her head against his chest, his heartbeat -although it was rather fast- steadied her.

  The door burst open and in came Nancy. Following behind her was...Steve? Nancy ran over to Mike and El, they had stopped hugging when Nancy came in. She gave Mike a hug, asking how he was. She let go and turned to El. She opened her arms and gave El a hug. El looked like she had been crying. Behind them Dustin walked up to Steve. They chatted a bit. With Steve's new job they didn't get to hang out much.

  "So, you and Nancy back again?" Dustin asked, half joking.

  "No, no. She just needed a ride."

  "Anyways, I have to get back to the middle school. There was a break in there. The heathkit radio is gone."

  The three boys and El gasped. The...Heathkit was....gone?

  Steve left to go back to the school. Nancy stayed behind. They waited in the waiting room, until Robin came back in. She told them that they would not be able to see Hop till morning, and suggested that they go home and get some rest.

  "El can stay at our house." Mike suggested.

  "No way!" Joyce exclaimed. "You think I don't see that something going on between you two?"

  "Mom!" Will exclaimed, embarrassed

  "El can stay with us. I don't want to give another kid to your mom without her permission."

  Dustin chuckled. Not like that hasn't happened before. El stayed there for a whole week and Karen didn't even know.

  "It's probably best Mike." Nancy comforted

  They all went out to the car. Nancy took the passenger seat, while the four kids squished in the back again. She dropped Dustin off first. Then she went to the Wheelers house. Mike gave El a gentle hug and whispered "it'll be alright." Into her ear, before getting out of the car. Nancy out an arm around Mikes shoulders, but it was getting harder to do that now, cause he was almost the same height.

  "Wait Nancy yelled back to the car and took off running into the house. Mike stood outside. Confused. A couple minutes later Nancy came running outside with clothes in her hand. She went over to the car and handed El pjs and a pair of clean clothes for tomorrow. Then Nancy went back to Mike.

  They walked inside their house. It was late. Both Ted and Karen had gone to bed. Nancy and Mike sat on the couch. Tears were in Mike's eyes. "I don't know how to help El. She is so scared for Hop, and I don't know what to do."

  "Sometimes the best thing you can do for a girl, is just be there, let her know that you'll be by her side through all of this." Nancy coached

  The two of them embraced before going to bed.

  Joyce, Will, and El made it back to the Byers. Joyce made a bed on the couch for El. Will went to bed and Eleven changed into Nancy's pyjamas, then climbed into bed. Joyce tucked her in. Then Joyce went to bed. Everything was quiet at the Byers. But back at Hoppers house, the back door was propped open. A large vine began to spread through the house, but no one was there to see it.

~End of Chapter 2 - The Deputy~