Together Again

Chapter 5 - Hunt or be Hunted (part 1)

  Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve all took off at a sprint. The tool belts made it hard to run, as they changed against their legs. They considered dropping them, but they might need them to save Mike. As they zig zagged through the forest, Steve muttered strings of "oh my God!" And "S***!" He leaped over logs in the ground. Just like he had in the buyers household two years earlier.

Nancy's heart raced, a thousand images flashed through her brain of possible scenarios. Her feet flew across the trees faster than they had ever taken her anywhere before. She darted around trees and ducked for overhead branches.

Jonathan was a little behind the others, but not by much. He knew it was the wrong time for this, but he couldn't help watching Nancy. The was she moved swiftly through these woods as if they were nothing. He loved how dedicated she was to her brother, she loved Mike more than anything. Her hair flew behind her, and she looked like someone out of a movie. He snapped back to reality as they neared a large clearing in the trees.

In the middle stood Mike, the cloud swarming above his head. All of a sudden, the cloud froze. It was still above his head, but it was like it couldn't move. It let out a high pitched squeal. Before it turned in the other direction and flew away. What made it leave?

When the cloud froze, it was like it caused them to freeze two, not actually, they were just all standing still now. They had stopped by the edge of the clearing, slightly behind Mike. He didn't see them.

Suddenly Mike took off at a run, now They all realized what had just happened. In front of him stood someone, with blood dripping out of their nose, and tears streaming down her face. Mike even began to cry. Tears poured out as he and El collided, dashing straight into each other's arms.

"El! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean any of that, not a word." He said between kisses on the forehead.

"I know, me neither." She gasped. He took her face in his hands. He was not gentle, but also not rough, just passionate. He brought her lips to his, not caring that she had blood dripping from her nose. They both inhaled deeply as they kissed the first time. There was so much passion in this kiss, so much warmth. The second time they slowed down, their lips pressed together as tears dropped down onto them. They slowly parted, only to hear a voice in the distance.

It was Nancy, she was trying to sound like they had just arrived there, and hadn't seen any of what just happened. She knew they weren't supposed to see. "Mike?" She asked, trying to sound like she was still terrified for what the scream meant.

Mike turned, hoping they hadn't seen that. Luckily they were just coming out of the woods, so he guessed they probably hadn't. Tool belts clanged against their legs as Nancy, Steve and Jonathan made their way over. Nancy was running, Steve and Jonathan walked briskly behind.
Nancy's arms spread open as she rushed across the green grass. She stopped in front of them and put an arm around each El and Mike. They both hugged her back.

"What happened? We heard a scream and came running as fast as we could!" She exclaimed

"The cloud. It lives around here." He looked at El with his heart eyes. "But El saved me." He winked at her with the eye on the opposite side from Nancy, so that she couldn't see. At this point Steve and Jonathan ha caught up to them and were standing on either side of Nancy. He moved on. "What's with those." Mike pointed to their tool belts."

"We're..umm...fixing stuff, part of the job." Steve lied.

Mike didn't buy it. "With hair spray and fire extinguishers?" He said sarcastically.

Nancy decided to tell him the truth. "Okay...were trying to...umm...kill the cloud."

El spoke up. "It's grown." She stated. "It wasn't that big last time. It was easier to make it leave last time."

Mike realized she was right. Last time she was barely drained after saving Max. This time her nose bled more, and she was out of breath.

Remembering that Elevens dad was in the hospital, Steve asked. "How's Hopper?"

"He's awake. But they won't let him leave." El told him. A tear trickles down her cheek. She didn't know why. It was both a happy and sad one. She was so happy that her dad was awake. But thinking about him when he was unconscious made her want to cry. Mike put an arm around her and awkwardly half hugged her. That was all that he did with the older kids there.

"That's good!" Nancy exclaimed, trying to lighted the mood. She rubbed El's back. It was a very sisterly gesture.

"I should take you guys home or to the hospital. It's not safe out here." Steve commented.

El's eyes shot straight into his. Her stare was cold and dark as she said, "No." Steve looked confused. El continued. "If your going after the cloud, you need me. It's stronger than the three of you.

Steve muttered under his breath to Jonathan. "Yeah, the clouds stronger than us, but not a s****y 14 year old girl."

"That s****y 14 year old girl has superpowers remember?" Jonathan joked.

El didn't hear them. All she could think about was making the older teens take her and Mike.

Mike spoke up. "Nancy! You have to take us, we're not leaving here."

With a sigh, Nancy gave in. Steve looked both surprised and a little annoyed, he was the deputy and if either of the kids got hurt, the blame was on him.

They started off back towards the car. They were ready to go hunt down the cloud.