What's Left of Us

It Can't Be for Nothing

A/N: These past two chapters are a bit shorter because I wrote them on the plane and it was harder to focus. Thanks if you're still reading, I have a pretty good idea where I'm gonna take the plot just give it some time to develop. 

Mike

Mike woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon wafting into the basement. As he woke up, he noticed El quietly putting away some of her clothes on hangers, carefully stepping around the gang as not to wake them. He sat up, deciding that she was probably still upset about the conversation that had occurred in the middle of the night.

"Morning El" he said timidly.

"Morning Mike" she said back without turning around to acknowledge him.

Definitely upset. Mike thought

Around this time, Will started to stir, and within the next five minutes or so the gang was up, shooting jokes at each other as if nothing had happened. Lucas and Max were in an especially good mood, nobody really knowing why, "Yeah well, we'd love to stick around for breakfast but we've got plans this morning!" Lucas said. As they gathered up their sleeping bags, the rest of the group stared on puzzled.

"What plans do you have? It's 7:45 in the morning?" Dustin added back, Will looking on in agreement.

"It's a secret, can't tell!" Max said, as they darted up the stairs, "see you guys at the arcade later, okay?"

"Well, I have to go call Suzy today on the Cerebro, so I guess I'll get going too. Will you wanna come with me?" Dustin chimed in.

"Nah, I think my moms coming to pick me up after breakfast, you know how she is about me changing plans" Will added

"MIKE BREAKFAST!" Karen yelled down from the top of the stairs. The whole time they had been discussing, El never looked up from what she was doing.

"HOLD ON MOM!" he yelled back, "Okay, well are you staying for breakfast Dusty poo?" he laughed

"Shut it Mike....but yes" Dustin replied.

As they went upstairs, Mike couldn't help but feel like El was hiding something. "You coming?" he said to her as he headed towards the stairs. She nodded her head and followed after him, kind of keeping an odd distance between the two.

After breakfast, Dustin headed out on his bike and Will's mom came to pick him up. Mike hopped in the shower, and decided to get ready for the day.

El

El hadn't been very talkative. In fact, she hadn't spoken more than 3 words the whole morning. All she could do was think about her vision, and how she needed to figure out a plan to take down Brenner. Even if the rest of the group didn't think it was problematic, she knew it would only be a matter of time until Brenner sent more bad men to get her. She hadn't left Hawkins and she had a suspicion he knew she was still there. She was still unhappy with how Mike had brushed her off, but maybe the group was right, this didn't need to be their fight, but it was her fight. She teared up for a second. It had only been a day living with Mike and a problem already presented its self. She began to wonder if she would ever have a normal life.

What Mike hadn't noticed was that she had grabbed one of his old backpacks from the basement and had begun packing clothing items in it. As much as she loved Mike, she couldn't risk bad men showing up to his house, hurting his family, or even worse hurting him. Then a wave of sadness overtook her.

could I really leave Mike without saying anything? But, could I really face him and tell him I need to do this on my own? He would try and convince me to stay, or to go with me....but I don't want him putting his life at risk. She started tearing up over the decision. Mike had been her rock for close to three years, could she really leave him like this? She sat on the bed for a moment, taking in her surroundings.

What would the Wheelers think if I just up and left right after they took me in? She knew they wouldn't understand the situation. As she pondered all these thoughts, she brought her backpack close to her chest and pulled a picture of her and Mike at the Snow Ball together and placed it in her bag. That way she would never be without him.

El made her bed and decided to write Mike a note, at the least explaining where she was going and that she would come back to him after she saw it through.

Mike,

I know this is going to hurt you, but I have to go and finish what Papa started. Please don't forget about me-

She stopped. At that moment the basement door swung open and she froze with panic. Mike came bolting down the stairs, smiling at her.

"Hey El, I convinced my mom to take us to go get some Ice cream and then we can go to the arc-" he began to say, quickly noticing her with her shoes on, and a backpack packed. "Uh ar- are you going somewhere?" he stammered.

She wouldn't look up at him, only playing with the piece of paper in her hand. "Mike I'm going to the lab Papa has to be stopped."

"You were just g-going to leave and not say bye?" Mike said, with tears swelling up in his eyes "I thought we weren't going to lose each other again" he continued "and what about Max? Dustin? Lucas, Will, they all care about you and you were just going to...to leave us again?" he was holding back tears at this point.

A wave of guilt overtook her, this is exactly what she had feared. Even though she didn't mind confrontation, she didn't want to hurt anyone, especially not Mike. He was so innocent and she loved him so much, it was already hard enough to fathom leaving him, but she reflected on everything that happened in the past.

"Mike...do you remember back when you first found me...and you took me in and gave me a home here. It was the first time I ever felt safety in here" as she pointed towards her chest, "and, then the effects of what Papa did, and how he raised me were unleashed on Hawkins like a ripple effect. Will going into the upside down and being taken by the Demogorgon, Nancy's friend Barb being taken, Bob being killed" she felt herself begin to choke up "and then Hopper didn't make it, and you got hurt saving me" she met his gaze, and took a deep breath before going on "It can't all be for nothing, I have to end this once and for all so that he never tries to hurt anyone or open that gate ever again, and then after that, we can be together happily and I'll be with you wherever you want" she finished.

Mike looked like he didn't know what to say, she could tell he was working through emotions, as it was evident on his face. But then something unexpected happened, he walked up to her and hugged her, and put his hand behind her head and lifted her chin up, "You're not going alone. Give me some time to give my parents an excuse, and I'm going with you"

She paused for a moment, knowing she wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise. How lucky she was to have someone who cared about her so much, but at the same time she felt a sense of dread. Mike had already saved her once, she couldn't stand the thought of allowing something to happen to him again.

"And we should tell the rest of the group, it's not fair to keep them in the dark about this" he added.

She looked up at him, nodding in agreement. And then she reached up and kissed him passionately, obviously taking him by surprise.

"What was that for?"

"Because I love you" she smiled.

"I love you too" he grinned at her, "now lets go get some ice cream and then we can meet up with everyone at the arcade and discuss what our plan should be for going forward"

El sat her backpack down "Alright, I guess that's okay. But we have to leave soon okay?"

Mike nodded, and they walked up the stairs hand in hand.