Chapter one
I won't leave you
She lied on the cold laminate floor her eyes were heavy and her body felt numb. Blood dripped down the side of her face and she wanted to wipe it away but she couldn't lift her hand. she was almost paralyzed.
"Mike," she whimpered.
"It's okay, you'll be okay. I promise," Mike reassured her calmly as he gently placed his folded jacket under her head. He was panicking on the inside but he couldn't allow her to realize this.
Her eyelids drooped closed slowly and a bloody tear streaked down her cheek. He had never seen blood come from her eyes before this must have indicated a new level of deterioration for her. It scared him half to death. He didn't know if she realized it but her powers were controlled by her brain. It only made sense that the blood witch leaked from her nose ears and eyes were a result of her hemorrhaging. It made him wish she never used her super natural abilities he knew it was hurting her.
Mike swiped the blood from her cheek and took her hand. She was so cold he held her finger in his palm in an attempt to warm them.
"El, El open your eyes, you can't go to sleep okay," he told her. He felt tears sneaking up behind his eyes. He was so afraid that if she went to sleep now she'd never wake up.
Her eyes opened again and they were even more blood shot than before.
"Mike, I'm scared," she whispered her soft voice was even weaker than it ever had been.
The simple words broke his heart. He didn't know how to fix this. He watched her laying there sick possibly dying. Her body was shaking from exhaustion or cold he wasn't sure witch. He slipped one arm under her head cradling it in his elbow. With his other arm he lifted her legs and pulled her limp body in to his lap. Her head rested on his shoulder she didn't have the strength to hold it up on her own. Mike leaned back against the wall and held her close rubbing her arm to try and warm her up some. He didn't want to except that he couldn't help her even though in the back of his mind he knew it was true. She needed a doctor her condition was far worse than they'd ever seen.
Eleven suddenly started to cough and gag uncontrollably. Mike tried to sit her up but she was dead weight. Dustin saw the struggle and helped pull her forward. Mike held her up right because she would've wilted if he didn't.
"We need to take her to the hospital. She won't last much longer," Mike stated.
"Hopper said he'll come back for us," Lucas stated.
"Hopper is in the upside down who knows how long it'll take him to come back," Mike replied.
"He told us to stay here I think we should listen," Lucas retorted.
"Lucas look at her, she's dying!" Mike exclaimed, he didn't want to use those words but he knew it was true.
As if to confirm his statement Eleven chocked out a painful whimpering sound and coughed up a mouth full of dark crimson blood.
"Gnarly," Dustin gagged.
"It's okay," Mike whispered gently stroking her back "you're going to be okay."
He felt empty when the paramedics quickly swept her form his arms. He wanted badly to go with her but he wasn't family so he knew the answer would be no. the three boys had no clue how the hospital knew to send help but they had gotten there just in time. They'd tried frantically to get a hold of someone anyone on the phone but all the schools phones were fried. One of the paramedics told them that someone else was on their way to get them. Hopper possibly, he didn't tell who. Either way Mike was relived. The hospital was too far to walk but he was sure he could convince whoever was coming for them to take him there.
"Oh shit!," Dustin exclaimed suddenly.
"What?" Mike questioned jumping to his feet.
"It's my mom!" Dustin replied "She's going to freak out! I'll be grounded till I'm twenty!"
"How did she found out we're here?" Lucas asked.
"She probably has a tracking device implanted in my brain or something how am I supposed to know. The point is if she knows all our parents know and that means we're all in deep shit." Dustin exclaimed.
"Well at least we're alive," Mike replied, he had a new found appreciation for life after that night. Having a gun pointed at his chest and holding Eleven in his arms as she slowly reached for death made him realize how lucky he was to be alive. Even if his parents grounded him until he was twenty.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Dustin asked.
"Dustin!?" a voice shouted from down the hall.
"Oh no," Dustin sighed, "I'll see you guys in prison,"
The cafeteria doors flung open and Ilene Henderson stormed up to her son "What in the hell have you been up to?! I've been worried sick!"
"You wouldn't belie me if I told you," Dustin replied "I know I know I'm grounded."
"Whatever made you think that?" Ilene questioned sarcastically "In the car!"
"Let me know if El's okay," Dustin said as his mom walked off.
"Oh boy, what do we tell our parents when they get here?' Lucas asked.
"The truth?" Mike suggested, only half serious.
"Oh yeah sure, hey mom sorry I was out so late we had to go save Will, who is still alive by the way. He was just trapped in another dimension with this crazy ass monster that was able to get to our world because of some government facility that is secretly conducting experiments. And oh yeah this is Eleven she has super powers. They are totally going to buy that." Lucas replied sarcastically.
"Well then we lie, a lot," Mike stated. He was technically engaged in the conversation but a larger proportion of his mind was focused on Eleven. The sound of her gagging and gasping for breath was haunting him as if she were still there with him. He just needed to know that she was okay.
"I hope they found Will," Lucas sighed suddenly changing the subject. He could sense that Mike didn't care about what their parents had to say.
"I hope he's okay, who knows what it could be like in there," Mike replied.
Two of his friends were really sick and possibly dead, there was that word again, death. He had never really pondered the meaning. He knew what it meant of course. But knowing the definition of the word and actually feeling the effects of it are two completely different things. He tried to recall if he'd ever really encountered death before this. His grandmother passed away when he was a baby. It was sad that he didn't remember her but with not remembering her there was no sense of loss. He wasn't sure he would survive losing both Eleven and Will.
He felt so guilty and he wouldn't dare admit it but he was more afraid of losing El he felt awful. He was more afraid to lose the girl he only met a week ago verses the friend he'd known since they were in diapers. Maybe it was because he'd already mourned Will for a while. For that one night that he thought Will was dead. Maybe because of this he was more ready to lose him. That must have been it. Or maybe Lucas was right maybe it was because he had feelings for Eleven that he didn't have for anyone else. Not long ago he used to think that people who fell in love and kissed and held hands were gross. But just an hour ago he found himself wanting very badly to kiss her, he had kissed her. He felt that it was something more than that. He wanted to protect her and make her feel safe. He only wanted the best for her and when around her he never put himself first. It was instinct for him to throw himself in front of her when that man, the man she called "papa" came to get her. He didn't care what the consequences were and when he said that they would have to kill him first to get to her he meant it.
Both their parents arrived at the same time and Mike prepared himself for a brutal scolding.
"Michael!" his mother shouted as she ran towards him.
To his surprise instead of yelling at him she pulled him into a bone crushing hug. She pulled away and started to look him over frantically searching for any sign that he was hurt.
"Where have you been? Are you hurt? Is this blood?" Karen asked in a panic.
Mike looked down to see a spot of blood on his shirt from when Eleven had laid her head on his shoulder. He suddenly got an idea.
"I hit my head really hard; I think I might need to go to the hospital." Mike replied holding a hand to the side of his head.
Karen moved his hand aside and looked at his scalp seeing nothing unusual.
"I don't see anything Honey,"
"It just really hurts," he pressed, he felt bad about lying to his mom but had to get to Eleven.
…
When they arrived at the hospital Mike was practically met at the doors by none other than Joyce Byers. It was a complete coincident she just happened to be pacing by the double doors when they walked in.
"Joyce what are you doing here, is everything okay?" Karen asked.
"Ah yeah everything's fine, uh Jonathan just cut his hand doing yard work we should be out of here soon." She replied hoping that the lie was convincing. Lies had become a way of survival for many in Hawkins "why are you here?"
"My son is Michael Wheeler, need I say more?" Karen replied.
Mike had always been a bit of a renowned klutz. He had a bit of a warp sheet at Hawkins ER.
"You go sit down I'll register you," Karen told him softly.
Mike watched his mother walk up to the nurses station and as soon as she was out of ear shot he turned to Joyce.
"Will?" It wasn't a full phrased question but it didn't need to be.
"He's with the doctors now, I haven't heard anything yet. But he was breathing well on the way here." Joyce replied trying to remain hopeful. Hope was all she had left.
"Did you happen to see Eleven come in?" Mike asked fearing the answer. Joyce sighed and he knew something was wrong. "Please tell me,"
"I was out having a smoke when they got here. They had to resuscitate her in the ambulance bay. They got her breathing again but she looked to be in really bad shape." She told him reluctantly "I'm really sorry kiddo'. But she's strong and she's a fighter if anyone can make out of this it's her."
Mike pictured it for a moment. A doctor pumping on her chest another using a device to make her breath. Then her body jumping when they shocked her with the paddles, just like in the movies. He quickly washed the image from his mind.
"You're right, she's a fighter. She'll be okay I know it," he said more to reassure himself than anyone else. "And Will is going to be okay too he's stubborn there's no way he'd fight through all that just to give up now."
"Oh do I know it," Joyce laughed thinking about how persistent her son could be. "Hey, I put word in with the doctors told them that I know Eleven. They'll update me on her; I'll keep you posted too."
"Thanks, do you think they'll let me and the others see Will?" Mike questioned.
"As soon as he's doing good enough to have visitors I'm sure," Joyce replied.
An hour passed and pressure mounted. Mike was tempted to get up and start pacing just like Joyce had been doing non-stop. He knew his mother would order him to sit down. He knew he should tell her that he wasn't actually hurt. It had accrued to him that he didn't want to take up attention of the doctors if he didn't need it. The question was how to bring it up and how to prevent his mom from creating a scene.
"Joyce Byers" a voice summoned from the other end of the room.
Mike turned in his chair to see a doctor talking to Joyce. He was too faraway to hear what they were saying. He was facing the doctor witch did nothing for him to tell the nature of the news. A doctor's face was almost always somber. He watched until they finished and thankfully Joyce walked up to him.
"Mike, she's stable and she's awake. He said she's been asking for you." Joyce told him with a small smile.
Mike nearly jumped out of his seat he wanted to run to her.
"Wait, who?" his mother asked in confusion.
"One of my friends, she's sick. Mom you have to let me go see her please. She needs me right now." Mike pleaded with his mother.
Karen almost did double take. She never thought it possible. Her son close friends with a girl or even more shocking possibly more than friends. Why hadn't she heard of this girl?
"Mom please," Mike practically begged.
"I think you should wait until the doctor sees you," Karen sighed deciding she could ask him questions later.
"I'm not really hurt, I just told you that so you would bring me here. I know I shouldn't have lied but I was just really worried about her. You can ground me and yell at me later please mom she's really sick!" Mike rambled on.
Karen just blinked that day had been very eventful she just couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Alright, go see your friend. But we need to talk." Karen sighed.
"We will I promise," Mike replied before practically running to the doors.
He stopped suddenly realizing he had no idea where he was going. He waited for Joyce to catch up with him almost bouncing on his heels in impatience. He wouldn't feel better until he saw her for himself. Joyce led him down a dimly lit sterile hallway and at the end a door was propped open slightly. Mike practically leaped for the handle and yanked it open.
His heart fell when he saw her. She looked so sick she was paler than he was and that was impressive. She had dark veins streaking down her face just below her eyes. It reminded him of one of Nancy's porcelain dolls that had cracks on its face. It was almost symbolic. El was beautiful and perfect like that doll but now she looked broken just vulnerable and… broken. But to him she was no less beautiful.
A dull mechanical beeping sounded at intervolves every few seconds. He noticed that her breathing looked forced almost painful. A thin tube ran from behind her ears in front of her nose delivering the oxygen that she was too weak to breathe in. As he approached the bed he saw an IV taped back of her hand. It looked far too large for her delicate hand.
Eleven's eye lashes fluttered and her eyes blinked open. Her eyes were glassy and lacked the usual emotion he saw in the wide brown orbs.
"Mike?" her voice was quiet and starchy.
"I'm here El," Mike replied softly as he sat on the bed and took her hand.
Her hands were so cold her hands were almost always cold. He remembered the night they met in the middle of the woods. It was freezing and pouring rain she was only wearing a large men's t-shirt. He took her hand to lead her to his bike and to reassure her that she was safe. Her hands felt the same as that night. Only now she griped his hands with the same certainty as he held hers.
Her eyes blinked open and closed heavy from exhaustion. But she forced herself to stay awake.
"Where are we?" she asked her voice quivering slightly.
"You're in the hospital El," Mike told her with a small apologetic smile. He couldn't help but feel that it was partly his fault that she was so sick.
"Hospital?" El questioned.
"It's the place where all the sick people go. The doctors here help them get better." Mike explained.
Doctors, she knew that word and she didn't like it. Papa was a doctor and a lot of his friends were too. His friends were bad people and so was he. Doctors were bad people. This was a bad place they would hurt her there and now they would hurt Mike too.
"No, no," she whimpered.
The monitor started to beep faster and Mike could see her getting distressed.
"It's okay, it's okay you're safe here," he reassured her squeezing her hand gently.
"No, no, not safe," she replied.
"Why, why isn't it safe here" Mike asked trying to get to bottom of her fears.
"Bad people," she answered trying to push herself upright, she was too weak support herself.
"El it's okay, there's no bad people here. I've been here a lot of times the doctors are nice. They went to school and learned about medicine so they could help people who are sick just like you are. They're good people." Mike explained trying desperately to calm her.
He hated it, seeing her so scared. He imagined this is what she must have looked like when Dr. Brenner experimented on her in the lab. Then it hit him, the sterile hallways, white lights, Doctors. This must have seemed a lot like the lab to her. No wonder she was terrified.
"Oh El, look I know this probably looks like Hawkins lab, but it's different. No one here is going to hurt you they just want to help you get better. El no one is going to hurt you, I won't let them," Mike vowed to her.
"Promise?" she asked tears dwelling in her wide eyes.
"I promise," he nodded "Now you need to calm down you're going to make yourself sicker."
She felt his thumb massaging her palm and looked into his warm eyes. She could her feel herself calming down. Her body relaxed and she allowed herself to sink back into the bed. She was exhausted, even sitting up took too much energy. As she lied her head back on the pillow Mike noticed her breathing was more laboured than when he first walked in.
"El you should go to sleep," he suggested, he knew she need to rest.
She wanted to sleep and she felt that she could now that Mike was with her. She knew she was safe with him. If Mike was there no one would hurt her or take her anywhere while she slept.
"Don't leave me," she whispered as her heavy eyes closed.
She rarely spoke in sentences but when she did Mike felt his heart skip. He couldn't explain it but he wanted her to talk more he loved her voice.
"I won't leave El," Mike replied.
It didn't take her long to fall asleep. Mike just sat there and watched her sleep. She was so beautiful he was absolutely taken by the sight of her. Eleven's eyelashes fluttered and her head turned slightly. She tightened her grip on his hand and he found himself smiling. She looked even more innocent and vulnerable when she was sleeping. Mike felt an overwhelming urge to protect her. The thought of someone hurting Eleven filled him with rage and adrenaline. He knew his vows to protect her was stupid. Despite how weak and fragile she appeared and maybe felt, she was way stronger than he could ever be. He knew if someone came to take her all he would be able to do is throw himself in front of her. He had no chance at winning a fight. But he would gladly take a bullet for her.
"Mike," El whispered in her sleep.
He smiled widely and laughed a little. She made him happy.
"Mike," she muttered again stirring under the covers.
His smile disappeared she seemed to be in distress. She must have been having a nightmare.
"Mike, no," El whimpered "No stop it, stop it."
He didn't know what to do. He rubbed her arm trying to calm her. It didn't seem to be helping she just became more panicked.
"El it's okay, it's okay you're dreaming," Mike whispered trying to wake her.
She continued to squirm whimpering his name muttering "no" "please" and "Stop it". He felt terrible she wasn't actually in danger but he still wanted to protect her from whatever was attacking her subconscious.
"Eleven wake up, you're okay I'm here," he said a little louder this time he shook her a little.
A tear slipped from beneath her closed lids and Mike felt his heart twist painfully. He continued his efforts to wake her maybe shaking her a little too roughly. Just when he thought it was hopeless she screamed and jolted upright nearly smashing her head off his. She was panting her heart was racing so hard it felt like it was going to burst. She saw Mike sitting there in front of her and immediately broke into tears. Mike pulled her into a soft embrace and she gladly clung to him.
"El it's okay, it was just dream," he whispered. He could feel her tears seeping through his shirt.
The door swung open suddenly making a loud bang as it bounced off the wall behind it. The sound made Eleven jump and Mike turned his head to see who just stormed into the room. His cheeks got warm as he saw his mother standing there. He almost pushed Eleven away but thought better of it, that would only hurt her. Besides friends could hug it wasn't like he was doing anything inappropriate with her. But still knowing there were more than friendly feeling behind the embrace made him very embarrassed being caught in the act.
"Is everything okay? I heard someone scream," Karen asked, she'd been waiting in the hall for the past thirty minutes trying to be patient.
"Everything's fine, she had a nightmare" Mike replied.
Karen was a little surprised to see her son holding this mysterious girl like this. Like he was trying to protect her or comfort her. She was also a little proud she knew she'd raised him to be a gentleman.
"El, this is my mom," Mike told her urging her to lift her face from his shoulder.
Eleven grabbed a fist full of his t-shirt telling him she didn't want to. She was content where she was she felt safe.
"She's a little shy," Mike shrugged.
"It's alright, what's your name?" Karen asked, she was interested in meeting Mike's new friend.
There was no response.
"Her name is El- ah- Eleanor," Mike replied trying to save his blunder. He knew his mom would be suspicious if he told her that he was friends with a girl named after a number "We call her El."
At last Eleven sat up straight reveling her face. Her eyes were an irritated pink and her cheeks were flush from the sobbing fit she's just had. She noticed a sizable wet patch on Mike's shoulder and ran her finger over it.
"Sorry," she sniffed.
"Don't worry about it El," Mike replied.
Karen suddenly grabbed Mike by the shoulder and rather violently yanked him backwards. He wasn't able to catch his footing and fell straight on to the floor. He was shocked when his mom dragged him a couple feet across the floor, he didn't know she was that strong. El looked just as shocked as he was. She lifted her hand for him and he wanted so badly to go back to her.
"I don't know what you've done or what you want, but you stay away from my son!" Karen barked defensively.
Eleven shuttered at the woman's threatening tone. She saw pure rage in her eyes and receded into the head board backing away as far as she could.
"Mom you're scaring her!" Mike exclaimed.
He climbed to his feet but before he could walk back towards the girl cowering on the bed he was grabbed by the back of his collar.
"Mike you don't know this girl like you think you do. She's dangerous; she escaped from a high security psychiatric hospital. Who knows what she's done or what she'll do." Karen whispered.
"Let me guess Dr. Brenner told you that?" Mike rolled his eyes.
"Michael what have you been getting yourself into?" Karen asked in shock.
"She's not dangerous mom, she saved my life. Brenner is the bad guy. She didn't escape from a psych ward she escaped from that lab, Hawkins international. They took her from her parents when she was a baby and did all sorts of experiments on her. She's not dangerous. She's just misunderstood and abused and scared," Mike replied glancing over his shoulder at Eleven who was now crying again.
Mike broke away from his stunned mother and took his place back on the bed "El, would you ever hurt me?"
Eleven gasped quietly and a painful sob raked her chest. She would never hurt him, ever. She had hurt Lucas and but she didn't mean to. Was he afraid of her? After he saw what she did to the bad men. She wouldn't be able to handle it if Mike was afraid of her. She was a monster she hurt people really badly, but she would never hurt Mike. He was her friend. She shook her head rapidly her eyes pleading with him to know the truth.
"It's okay El, please stop crying," Mike sighed sadly.
He couldn't stand watching her cry. Sometimes Holly would cry and scream for forty minute stints and it annoyed him to no end. This was different when Eleven cried he felt like crying too. He stroked her back gently. He felt a jolt of electricity run up his arm when he touched her bare skin where the gown parted. She scooted closer to him and he felt heat rush to his face.
"See mom she won't hurt me," Mike stated "I mean look at her,"
Karen studied the terrified girl clinging to her son. She couldn't help but feel guilty. Eleven's wide brown eyes provoked that feeling naturally in most people. It was like one of her super powers was melting hearts.
"Show me proof," she inclined, no matter how sweet the girl looked she needed more than just that. Her son could be in danger.
Mike thought for a moment then came up with an idea.
"El, can you show her your wrist?" he asked.
She nodded hesitantly. Mike took her hand and outstretched it palm up for his mother to see the numbers 011 tattooed on her wrist.
"Would a patient from a psychiatric hospital be branded?" he questioned.
Karen inspected to mark a little shocked to see it. She reached out for Eleven's arm and she immediately tried to retreat. Mike held her hand in place gently rubbing his thumb across her palm to reassure her. Karen repeated a similar motion over her wrist only for a very different purpose. She continued to rub until Eleven cringed the friction starting to burn. Mike was right, a psychiatric hospital wouldn't have tattooed the poor girl and in this day and age they no longer shaved the patient's heads. Could she really have been a government experiment?
"I'm sorry I scared you, I was scared too." Karen apologized.
"It's okay," Eleven whispered.
Mike felt her leaning against him and she started to nod off. She blinked rapidly she didn't want to fall asleep again she was afraid she'd have another nightmare.
"Mike I think we should get going, let her get some rest," Karen stated.
"No," Eleven gasped grabbing a hold of Mike's sleeve. He couldn't leave her he promised.
Mike winced attempting to free his forearm from Eleven's vise like grip. He was sure he'd have marks where her nails dug into his skin.
"Mom can't I stay a little longer?" Mike asked.
Karen just nodded knowing she wasn't getting him out of that room without a fight.
Eleven snuggled into his shoulder resting against him for support and closed her eyes. Mike felt another blush of embarrassment rush to his cheeks. But there was also a very different feeling. Another warmth and this one was very pleasant. Despite his mom standing right there probably contemplating giving him "the talk" once again Mike didn't want to push her away. He wondered briefly what he would do if she fell asleep on him, but decided to deal with that if and when it happened.
"El you should try to go back to sleep," Mike whispered to her.
"No," she mumbled.
He had a feeling her body wouldn't comply with her protest.
"The more you rest the faster you'll get better. Then you can come home and all of this will be over. You could be normal, just like everybody else. No more lab no more experiments." Mike promised her.
"Normal," El repeated barley awake. She liked the sound of that. No more lab no more experiments she would be just like everybody else. That was exactly what she wanted.
Mike started to stroke her back gently. The small gesture was nearly enough to make her forget her fears and lull her to sleep.
Karen stepped out of the room feeling like she was intruding on something. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, what had happened in the last twenty our hours. This girl was supposedly an escapee from a secret movement lab? it was just too far-fetched to believe. But she seemed so innocent so scared and her son sure seemed smitten with her. She didn't know how to feel about that either.
"Karen," a voice snapped her back into reality.
She looked up to see Joyce Byers standing before her.
"Are you alright?" Joyce asked seeing her friend's troubled expression.
"I think my son is in love," Karen replied. When she realized what she said she shook her head and laughed slightly "Is that ridiculous? He's twelve years old."
"He's growing up," Joyce sighed "Mike has always had a big heart, I don't think he can help it."
"He's growing up too fast if you ask me. This week made me realize I have no idea what he's been doing or who he's been with or where he's been-" Karen stopped when she realized what she just said. She couldn't complain about not being on the best terms with her son when talking to the woman who just lost hers. "Joyce I'm so sorry,"
"It's okay, really. I have a feeling that things are about to get a lot better." Joyce replied leaving out major details that would take a lot of explaining. Before Karen could ask questions she charged the subject "How's Eleven holding up? Poor girl she almost died tonight"
"Who?" Karen questioned oblivious.
Joyce bit her lip realizing Mike must have introduced the girl as "El" a short abbreviation of her name. That defiantly seemed a lot less strange.
"Her name isn't really Eleanor is it?" Karen sighed.
"Do you know what happened to her in her early childhood?" Joyce asked cautiously.
"Part of it, I'm not sure I believe it. I mean it's just too strange and horrible. What could the government possibly want with a little girl? Whatever happened to her she's terrified and she and Mike are attached by the hip. I just wish I knew more about her. I feel guilty for thinking she'd be capable of hurting him but he's my son I have to be skeptical you know?" Karen rambled on.
"You don't have to be worried Karen. She's the sweetest most considerate girl you'll ever meet. She's just afraid." Joyce replied.
"I think I need to go for a walk, let this sink in," Karen sighed.
"You should, I'll tell Mike, I was just about to go visit anyways," Joyce offered. She didn't want to admit it but she was happy for Karen to leave. She didn't want to have to explain how her son came back to life though she knew eventually she'd have to.
She was I little shocked to see the proximity of the two when she entered the room. She wondered briefly how she would feel if that were Will. But being twelve and romantically involved was a hell of a lot better than being dead.
"How's Will?" Mike asked.
"He's sick, but he's going to be okay," Joyce smiled "How is she?"
"She's tired, really tired. I don't think she's ever used her powers that much. It's going to take her awhile to feel better again." Mike replied as he pulled the blanket around her tighter "El, are you still awake?"
A small moan was all he got in response.
"Ms. Byers is here, and Will's okay," Mike informed her.
"The doctors say that it's okay for you go see him if want," Joyce stated. "Lucas and Dustin just got here, they're with him already."
"Really? El do you think it'd be okay if I left for just a few minutes to go see Will? I'll come right back," Mike asked.
She lifted her head to look at him "I want to go too,"
"No El, you have to stay in bed," Mike replied.
"But you promised you wouldn't leave," She frowned her bottom lip pouting out slightly.
The hurt in her eyes tugged on his heart. He had promised her he wouldn't leave but he meant he wouldn't leave while she was sleeping. The hospital would kick him out eventually if his mother didn't drag him out by his ear first. He really wanted to see Will but he resented the thought of making her sad or even worse making her cry. He couldn't handle seeing her cry again and he would never forgive himself if he caused her tears. He'd done it before and would always regret it.
"El," he sighed "I know I did, but I didn't mean I'd never leave. I'll have to leave eventually I won't have a choice. I meant I'll always come back, I'll always be there for you even if I'm not actually there."
She nodded, his words made her feel safe. But she didn't like that he had to leave her side, even if he promised he'd come back. There was something about Mike whenever he was around she felt untouchable.
"Is that okay El? Maybe Ms. Byers can stay here with you," Mike suggested.
"I'd be happy to," Joyce replied giving the girl a small smile.
Eleven looked from Mike to Joyce and then back again. Joyce had been very nice to her, acting like the mother she'd never had. Though she'd rather Mike she did trust Joyce.
"Okay," She nodded.
Mike gently pushed on her shoulder telling her to lie down and pulled the thin blanket over her.
"I'll be right back El, I promise," Mike reassured her before he left.
El felt like he dragged a peace of her heart away with him. She sighed sadly and Joyce pulled a chair up to the bed.
"I know I've already told you this, but I just can't thank you enough for what you did for Will. If it weren't for you he might not have made it out of that place. You're a hero, I hope you know that," Joyce told her.
Hero, she remembered that word. Dustin called her a super hero once and Mike told her that it meant a person who uses their special powers to save people. But she knew she wasn't that. She had used her powers to hurt people. She had killed people and she opened the gate that let the Demogorgon take Will away and kill Barbra.
"No, not a hero," she sniffed "A monster."
Joyce just blinked "What? No, oh sweetie no. You're not a monster, what made you think that?"
"I- I hurt people, really bad, I'm bad," El replied, she couldn't look Joyce in the eye, she was too ashamed.
"Who did you hurt?" Joyce asked.
"Bad men," Eleven whispered.
"And what did these "bad men" do that was so bad? Why do you call them that?" Joyce questioned.
"They made me do bad things. Put me in the dark place," She muttered. She suddenly got an image of Mike, Dustin and Lucas struggling in the arms of the bad men guns aimed at them. "They tried to hurt my friends."
"Sweetheart if they did all those things then doesn't it make sense that they're the monsters?" Joyce questioned "You were only trying to protect your friends and yourself."
Eleven thought about it for a moment and it sort of made sense. But she still killed someone and no matter who they were or what they'd done she'd taken a life and that was wrong.
"El, that's what you like to be called right?" Joyce asked after a moment.
Eleven nodded.
"Well what if I told you I knew your birth name?" Joyce placed a comforting hand on her thigh.
"What?" El questioned.
"Your birth name, the name your mom gave you when you were born," Joyce explained.
She was intrigued she never thought about having another name. A normal name "Tell me,"
"Your mom, before you were taken, she decided to call you Jane," Joyce replied.
She wasn't sure if she liked it, she liked it when Mike called her "El". But putting names aside she only had one question.
"Where is she?" Eleven asked.
"Your mom? She lives in the next town over with your aunt," Joyce told her withholding the fact that her mother was mentally ill.
"I want to see her," El stated eagerly.
"You will Sweetie, as soon as you get better I'll make sure of it," Joyce promised. The girl had stolen her heart she wanted to protect her and give her the life she never had but so deserved. To Joyce she was almost like the daughter she never had.
"Joyce. Can I talk to you for a minuet?" I voice asked from behind her.
She turned to see Hopper standing in the door way. He didn't look impressed but yet again he never did.
"I'll be just outside okay, I won't go anywhere," she said softly to the girl.
"Where have you been?" Joyce asked the police chief as she met him in the hall. He had rushed Will to the hospital then disappeared.
"It doesn't matter," Hopper replied passively "I'm here for the girl."
"She's not ready to leave yet, she's still very sick," Joyce stated.
"They'll take care of her," Hopper sighed.
"Who will?" Joyce asked, the girl needed more than an aspirin she needed serious medical help. Then it clicked "You better not be doing what I think you're doing."
"Joyce stay out of this, it isn't your fight," Hopper groaned, he was afraid of this.
"Like hell it is! You can't just take her back to- to that place with those people! For Christ sake Hop she's only a little girl" Joyce exclaimed, she wasn't quite yelling but she was tempted to.
"Quiet down would you! Listen I don't want to do this but I have no choice. I made a deal they get the girl and you, Will and the boys stay safe." Hopper explained.
"I swear to god Hopper, if you lay a finger on the poor girl I'll tell the press everything. Every last detail," Joyce threatened.
"They'd never believe you," Hopper scoffed.
"My son just came back to life, I think I have a pretty good story," Joyce replied her voice low.
"You're putting yourself in danger Joyce, don't do this," Hopper tried to reason.
"What if she was your daughter, what would you do huh?" Joyce questioned.
He didn't say anything else.
"That's what I thought," she huffed then returned the room to find Eleven sleeping.
Joyce locked the door behind her, she wouldn't let him take her.