Don't be too disappointed there aren't any hot, steamy scenes in the first chapter. I'm nothing if not realistic. And I don't believe Eleven jumping Mike like a starved baboon is realistic, nor would it do justice to the story. So please enjoy a bit of backstory and character development before things develop in a more realistic fashion between Mike and Eleven. This is only my second story on fanfiction, so any comments/reviews are appreciated. Let me know if I should continue and your own ideas on how things might realistically unfold. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 - Aftermath

It felt like only yesterday that Eleven had closed the gate to the Upside Down. That Will was a spy for the mind flayer. That Hawkins lab was exposed by Nancy and Jonathan, and had since been shut down. So much has happened since then.

TKKKK! The sound of the toaster startled a distracted Eleven, causing her to jump in the kitchen chair she was sitting in. Hopper let out a small chuckle, "I think that's for you." It had been a year since the incident, and yet Eleven hadn't managed to shake the flashbacks to the lab or the nightmares that plagued her sleep. The memory of the man she once called Papa throbbed like a burning coal in her head.

She stood up and made her way to the kitchen. The floor of Hopper;s cabin creaked beneath her feet. She quickly tossed the two hot Eggos onto a plate and proceeded to douse them in syrup.

"Easy there kiddo!" Hopper cautioned as he took the bottle from her and sat it upright on the counter. "Do you want to end up in a coma?" She gave him a displeased look that lasted only seconds. As much as she wanted to make another statement with her powers, the old cabin could simply not afford another episode.

Instead, Eleven just stared at Hopper. He stood firmly, his pants sagging slightly in the absence of his belt, which was lying on the table across from her. His gun still in its holster. The top three buttons of his police uniform were undone and there was a coffee stain on his right pocket. Hopper wore a hardened look on his face. An unfiltered cigarette protruded from the corner of his mouth.

Despite her differences with the stubborn and disheveled man standing before her, Eleven was eternally grateful to him. They had been through so much together after all. He had taken her in when she was barely surviving on her own in the woods. He provided her with clothes and food. He was with her when she closed the gate to the Upside Down.

"No," she said plainly. Satisfied with her response, Hopper proceeded to the kitchen and continued drinking his coffee, black, with no sugar. He glanced down at his watch. "Aww...dammit, dammit, dammit!" He slammed his mug down, some of its contents sloshing out onto the counter.

"We're late. Hurry up. Grab your jacket." With that, Eleven scarfed down the rest of her Eggo and put on her jacket. Hopper quickly fastened his belt and grabbed his hat, closing the door behind them as they left the little cabin.

As they drove through Hawkins, Eleven stared out the window of the Jeep, still in disbelief of how much her life had changed since she escaped from the lab. How much she had learned. How much she still wanted to learn.

As they approached the school, Eleven reached into the back seat and grabbed her backpack. Hopper pulled up to the curb. As she looked out the window, Eleven could see her friends riding up to the school and parking their bikes in front. First Lucas, then Dustin, then Will, and lastly Mike.

"Mike," she said quietly under her breath. Every time she saw him, her day got a little bit better. Mike was always there for her. When she was lost in the Upside Down, surviving in the woods alone, or lying low under Hopper's protection, he was there. Even though he couldn't see or hear her, she could see him. She could feel his loneliness. She was lonely too, but not anymore. After everything, she could now see Mike in class, after school, or whenever she wanted. She smiled.

"Have a great day at school, kiddo." Hopper said as she stepped out of the Jeep. "Try not to break anything," he jested. As she neared her friends, Max approached from the right on her skateboard, stopping just short of the bike rack. "Sup, losers." she said sarcastically. "Hey Max." said Lucas calmly. "Hey Max!" Dustin parroted Dustin excitedly.

Mike turned slightly, making eye contact with the last member of their group. "El!" Mike rushed from the bike racks to close the gap between them. The rest of the group quickly followed suit. About that time, the bell signaling first period rang loudly. The crew headed inside.

As Eleven sat next to her friends in science class, she gazed out of the window. She was perfectly content for once in her life. She was going to school, living a normal life, but more importantly she had her friends back. She was no longer just...surviving.

"Jane?" Mr. Clarke beckoned from the front of the room. Eleven looked around cluelessly. Everyone was staring at her. "What?" she asked blankly. The rest of the class laughed. "Quiet class," Mr. Clarke said sternly. "Jane, I was asking if you could tell us the difference between an amphibian and a reptile?" Across the room, Dustin squirmed excitedly in his seat. "Oh, oh!" He waved his hand. Ignoring him, Mr. Clarke tried again, "I'll give you a hint, it has something to do with their life cycle." A few moments of silence passed. "C'mon, this is an easy one."

Eleven looked to Mike who was mouthing the word water. Still, she didn't understand. After several more moments of awkward silence, Mr. Clarke finally relented. "Yes...Dustin."

"Amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrates that begin life in water breathing through gills and later mature on land. They include frogs, toads, and salamanders. Reptiles are also cold-blooded vertebrates, but live their entire life breathing air despite the fact that many live and hunt in wetlands and swamps."

"Thank you, Dustin," Mr. Clarke said flatly. Mike smiled at Eleven reassuringly. The bell rang and the rest of the kids rushed out of the classroom for lunch. Mr. Clarke stopped Eleven before she could leave. "Jane, you're a smart girl, I know it! Even if you don't know an answer, try to guess. I don't mean to pick on you, I just don't want you to fall behind. Understand?" Eleven nodded. "Yes?" Mr. Clarke asked, attempting to provoke a response. "Yes," Eleven said with a smile. "Well, okay," said Mr. Clarke warmly, "now run along!"

After school, the group convened at their regular meeting place, the AV Club room. Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will had saved enough money to replace the HAM radio that had caught fire when Eleven used her powers to contact Will in the Upside Down. However, only Dustin and Will used it on a regular basis.

Since the Snow Ball, Lucas and Max, as well as Mike and Eleven, had become something more than just friends. Most of their time spent in the AV room consisted of holding hands and laughing as Dustin and Will transmitted hilarious things over the HAM. Only today, Eleven sat quietly with her arms in her lap.

"What's wrong, El?" Mike asked. She didn't answer. "C'mon El, you can tell me." Again, she stayed silent. "Is this about today in Mr. Clarke's class?" Eleven turned away from Mike, crossing her arms. "Not smart," she said. Mike put his hands on her shoulders. "That's not true! You're super smart! Isn't that right, guys?"

"Yeah, very smart!" Lucas said reassuringly. "Totally," Will chimed. "Definitely," said Max. Eleven turned back toward Mike and the group. Mike took her hands in his. "You killed the demogorgon!" he added. "And you figured out that I was stuck in the Upside Down," Will said, elbowing Dustin. Dustin took off the headphones. "What?" Lucas rolled his eyes. "We were saying how smart Eleven is," Will informed.

"Oh...yeah, super smart...the smartest...like a genius," Dustin added unconvincingly. "Gee, thanks Dustin," Mike said sarcastically. "You also shut the gate to the Upside Down and locked up the shadow monster for good. That was super brave and smart," added Max. "That's right," said Mike. "So what if you don't know the answer to a boring science question, you've been there for us when we needed it and we think you're really smart."

"Really?" she questioned. "Really," Mike said sincerely. The rest of the group nodded. After a few moments of silence, Dustin resumed his silly radio chatter. Lucas held Max's hand as he shook his head in disapproval. Mike put his arm around Eleven and she scooted closer, resting her head on his chest.

After an hour, the group gathered their things and got on their bikes to head home. Mike and Eleven followed their usual route to the police station, where she always stayed until Hopper finished his work. "Eleven?" Mike said as he walked his bike alongside her. "Yeah?" she replied. "You look really pretty today," he said. She blushed and turned her head downward to conceal her toothy smile.

Thoughts of losing Mike quickly flooded her mind. Everytime she would become happy, her personal defences shaped by years of mistreatment would kill her temporary joy. Her life at Hawkins Lab and survival in the woods had hardened her. While she had allowed her friends to penetrate those walls, she couldn't stop the innate sense of lurking danger from killing her happy moments. It frustrated her. Her smile faded.

After a few seconds, she reseated herself in the moment. She noticed that Mike still looking at her from the corner of her eye. She raised her head and forced a small smile, laying her hand atop his on the handle of the bike he was walking. The sun was shining bright from the west and she noticed small streaks of light blurring the edges of his black hair. She had practically memorized his features. In moments where she felt lonely, helpless, or scared, she would imagine his kind face: His freckles, his slightly crooked smile, and his dark brown eyes.

Everything good she associated with Mike. She was extraordinarily grateful to him for taking her in when she was scared and for believing in her even when she failed to believe in herself. Mike was the kind of friend she never knew existed...but there was something else there too.

Something had flowered since their kiss in the cafeteria. Since the Snow Ball. She felt a warmth when he was around. Something that made her feel both safe and vulnerable at the same time. His compliments would make her blush and smile uncontrollably.

The feeling reminded her of specific moments while tucked away in Hopper's cabin. She would drag the old TV into her room and watch black and white sitcoms for hours. She studied the characters, her receptive mind absorbing their behavioral patterns like water to a sponge. When the boy kissed the girl, she would smile. She wasn't ashamed to have shared such moments with Mike. Truthfully, she wanted something...more. Frankly, she was unsure of exactly more was. However, her curiosity and the burning feeling inside her made her want to find out.