A reason to fight for.//elmax-Madmage

Chapter 5:

'Eleven, I need you to walk with us back to the hospital, can you do that?' Max, who was way better at hiding her concern than Will, who was just staring at her shoulder. 'I am fine. This is nothing.' Eleven trying to sound as confident as possibly, was obviously lying. Max grabbed her hand and dragged her to the hospital. Eleven tried to protest, but the redhead wouldn't let go of her hand. 'Hopper said, no doctors. No matter what.' Wasn't like that would stop Max, she knew that if Eleven wouldn't get help, it could get worse. Much worse. 'Max, I'm serious. They could find out about my powers and then they'll send me back-' Max interrupted her, 'I won't let that happen.'

No one expected HER to say that to ELEVEN. Shit, way to go Mayfield. I'm really proud of you, god how stupid are you. Max didn't dare to look up at her, but as Eleven put her hand under Max's chin and made her look up: 'Thank you, but it's still a no.' Max face turned red: 'Then at least let me take care of you?' Eleven was as confused as Will: 'What do you mean?' Max started ordering around and told Will what to get.

Max made Eleven sit down on a chair. 'Don't move. I'll be back.' Eleven gave her a mischievous smile. 'What if I'm not here when you come back?' 'Don't make me tie you up.' Max blushes as she realized what she just said and she mentally slapped her forehead for saying that. Eleven chuckled and Max could see that Eleven's cheek were as red as hers probably were at that very moment. 'F-fine.' Max practically ran out of the room and looked for all the supplies. Will had spend a lot of time in that hospital after he got kidnapped into another dimension, so he knew where to find what he needed. That's why Will was faster than Max, so he was back in that room, before their red haired friend.

Eleven was clearly in pain, she was constantly groaning quietly. 'I'm scared Will.' Did the toughest girl on earth just confess that she was SCARED. Will tried to hide his surprised look: 'Of what?' Eleven looked down and her eyes started to let out some tears that she had been holding back. 'What if, when all of this is over, Max and I will go back to hating each other. She seems like a nice girl, and I've never had a girl friend before. I don't know what teenage girls do. I mean, I only hang out with you guys, and all you do is argue and play D&D.' Will put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. 'If you haven't forgotten, you are the one who started hating Max. I'm pretty sure she'd like to be your friend. And about that "teenage girl stuff", Max also only has guy friends, so I wouldn't worry about that.' In a strange oddly way, those words did comfort her. She nodded lightly.

Max came back, as Will was about to but the bandaids on her wound. 'Stop!' Will and Eleven flinched. 'Are you crazy? I could have hurt her!' 'You would have hurt her and made it worse if I wouldn't have told you to stop!' Eleven groaned quietly, as the pain wouldn't disappear. 'Lay back Eleven. Did you get the alcohol Will?'

Max knew what she was doing. I mean she's used to fall from her skate or...well being hurt by her abusive stepfather and stepbrother. Why do you think she wears long sleeves even during summer? Will nodded: 'Are you sure-' Max was angry that Will didn't fully trust her. She glared at him: 'Can both of you just trust me, for once in your goddamn life?' Eleven looked up at Max: 'I do.' Will hesitate but finally admitted : 'Me too.'

Max nodded, she sighed and looked at Eleven. 'This is going to hurt. You are going to want me to stop. But I won't stop, because if I do, it will hurt even more.' She then looked at Will: 'I need you to hold her. She can't move.' Will didn't know how he should feel about that: 'El? Are you ok with this?' Eleven nodded: 'I trust her. Just hold me.' turns to Max: 'I'll do my best not to move. I promise.' Eleven laid back, like Max told her to, and closed her eyes. Max took the alcohol: 'This going to hurt Eleven.'

Eleven still had her eyes closed: 'I'm f-FIIIINE. SHIT. STOP. STOP. IT BURNS. STOP IT! STOOOP!' Max couldn't stop. Seeing her in pain gave her this strange feeling. Was it empathy? To the girl who had been hating her since they met? Then Will spoke up: 'Max! You are hurting her!' Eleven continued screaming as she used her powers on Max and threw her through the room, back hitting the wall.

Max groaned, she was in state of shock, she looked around seeing Eleven sobbing and Will looking back at Max. 'Max! Are you ok?' Will ran up to her. Max stood up: 'I'm fine.' Will reached for her: 'Let me h-' Max dodge his hand. 'I said I'm fine Will!' Will flinched, opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off: 'Max, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I am so sorry. I couldn't control my powers, and then I-'

Max walked up to her and could sense the fear in Eleven's voice: 'I don't want to lose you Max. I know that you don't owe me anything, but the few hours that we haven't been hating each other, were the best hours since-' Max sat down in front of her, the brunette swallowed out of nervousness. Max put her hand on Eleven's knee and ignored her flinch: 'You won't lose me. I'm fine. I should have stopped, but your wound needed to be cleaned. I know that we never were friends, but that was before I started caring for you. I know that your powers are a part of you. Of who you are. But I need you to promise one thing.' Eleven looked up at her: 'Name it. I would do anything-' she got interrupted by Max: 'Don't use your powers on me ever again.' Eleven really would do anything for Max, so she nodded and replied: 'I promise.'

Max took the supplies and finished cleaning the wound, and then sutured it, while Eleven was groaning and being hold by Will, who obviously struggled to keep her still. It all happened without talking. Only the sound of Eleven trying not to cry and groan, made Max use one of her hands to comfort her, by rubbing her hand gently on her waist. Will mostly looked away, or he would have fainted.

'Thank you.' whispered Eleven under her breath as Max was done, while she was still in much pain. 'I'm calling Hopper, I'll be right back.' Will left and walked to an empty office, calling Hopper. Max was throwing the used supplies away, while Eleven was just staring at her perfect red hair. Max turned around to her, Eleven quickly looked away, but it was too late: 'What? Do I have something stuck in my hair?' Eleven chuckled: 'No. No. Your hair is flawless' (just like you) but of course she didn't say that last part out loud. Eleven could swear that she saw Max' cheek turn red, but the redhead was too fast and looked down giggling. Max walked up to the bed Eleven was sitting on and sat next to her. 'Why do you hate me?' Eleven chocked and look up at Max, who was avoiding direct eye contact. 'I was scared, Max.' Max confusingly looked up: 'Of what?'

A/N: this chapter is a little bit longer, I hope y'all enjoy it!