What's Left of Us

Nightmares and Daydreams

A/N: Hey guys if you're keeping up with this story, sorry, I've been busy. I'm back now and with christmas bl being over I'll hopefully get to update this more frequently, as long as WW3 doesn't break out. This is a short chapter but I have the story pretty well plotted out from here on out so it's just editing really. Thanks for reading! 

Eleven

As they approached Scoops Ahoy Eleven began feeling a longing to talk to Mike about the plan, fearful that if she waited until they talked with the gang at the arcade they wouldn't come up with a plan that she felt was going to work. Luckily, Karen was dropping them off while she was going to something next door that El didn't understand, but Mike had said it was basically a bunch of older women in tight colorful clothing doing dance workouts. This would give her a good opportunity to talk with Mike, and quite frankly she had been wanting some alone time with Mike anyways. Their relationship had felt more strained in the aftermath of Star Court than she ever imagined it could be, and despite any disagreement they had she still loved him.

As they approached the ice cream parlor, Karen spoke up "alright you two, my Jazzercise class is 45 minutes today, so afterwards I'll drive you guys to the arcade to meet up with your friends. Mike do you have enough money sweetie?"

"Yes mom. Everything's fine, thanks for the ride." Mike said, trying to hurriedly get out of the car. El followed him out and they walked in together and got their ice cream. El loved ice cream, but Hopper had never really let her have it too much except when he would put it on the Eggo Extravaganzas he made them. She watched as Mike sat down across from her in the booth, and she felt like now was the best time to talk.

"Mike, it's important to talk about your feelings" she blurted out, causing him to look up from his ice cream in slight confusion "I'm not happy that you didn't side with me in the first place when I had the dream. I'm worried about this, I don't want anyone to get hurt and I think it should be my journey to go alone."

"El, I get what you're saying but that night was just a bad situation. I'm never not going to be on your side but when it's a situation like that you kind of just have to go with the flow of the group. I knew I wanted to talk to you about it after the fact but I couldn't really do that right then and there" he looked down at his ice cream "and I know you're anxious but theres no way I'm letting you do something like this alone, I care about you too much and it doesn't make sense. So you might as well quit worrying because you can't convince me that I'm not coming, and thats that."

El felt relieved to hear him say that. Of course Mike was always in her corner, but sometimes she allowed herself to doubt a lot of things, but he kept proving why he shouldn't be doubted. She looked down at her ice cream with sprinkles and smiled.

"So do you have any idea where this Lab is? I thought it would be a good idea to talk about our plan before we meet up with the others" Mike added, trying to get El to open up more.

At this point, Eleven felt a mix of fear and, what was the word Mike had explained to her? Anx-i-uh-tee, Anxiety, yeah that one. She didn't have a plan, she wanted to use her powers to find Brenner and confront him herself, but she felt as though the group would be alarmed to learn that she didn't have everything thought out. "Mike, there isn't a plan...I'm sorry, he saw me, and he know's that I'm going to look for him" she continued "but all I know to do is use an old newspaper picture of him to find him" she finished, as she looked anywhere but Mike's eyes.

"El, you don't have to worry, we're gonna figure this out together. I promise we are going to protect you", he said as he lifted her chin up "if you've taught me anything, its that friends don't lie, and I promise you we are going to get through this together."

"Promise" El said out loud, as she contemplated what he had said, it's not that she didn't believe him, it's that she wished she could just live her life without having to worry anymore. When was she finally going to feel like she wasn't still on the run?

And much like the movies she watched, she wondered When would she get to have her happily ever after with Mike?

They were interrupted by Ms. Wheeler walking into the Ice Cream Parlor "You kids ready to get going?" she chirped, looking like she had just walked through a waterfall.

"Mom we aren't kids, and yes we are ready to go" Mike said, El noticing the annoyance in his voice. She could never quite understand why Mike was always so annoyed with his mom, but she didn't have a long time to ponder it.

As they drove to the arcade, Mike and El sat in the back together, holding hands and El resting her head on Mike's shoulder. It was about a 20 minute drive, due to the Fall Festival in town, and El had slightly dosed off, her stomach being full of ice cream from earlier. And all at once, the panic set in.

You haven't saved anyone she heard a voice, as Dr. Brenner's face appeared in her dreams

We've been building this, for you Billy Hargrove called out from the void, a face she only saw in nightmares anymore

It's time to come home, my child Brenner said, distinctively louder than his first comment. Until it became a repeating monologue. And then all at once she began falling in her dreams, screaming and gasping for air, calling out for Mike until she was hoarse. All at once, the thoughts starting converging, Brenner and Billy's voices chanting throughout her head, taunting her.

"El" Mike said as he put his hand on her thigh, gently rubbing it to wake her up.

"Hey El, we're here" Mike said again.

Eleven's eyes shot open. It was a dream, right? She was back holding Mike's hand, resting her head on his shoulders, his hand on her thigh giving her a feeling of warmth and security. She took a deep breath.

"Sorry, I guess I fell asleep for a minute" she mused back.

"More like the whole car ride" Mike groaned.

"Shhh let's go, come on, the gang is waiting on us" El smiled as she responded. Mike was cute when he was slightly annoyed, and the way he rolled his eyes made her heart skip a beat.

As they hopped out and said their goodbyes to Ms. Wheeler, they approached the arcade and saw everyone sitting outside of it. They weren't there to play games this time, although El would much rather do that then embark on the journey that was in front of them. In fact, had any of them known what this journey would entail, nobody could blame any of them for backing out.