Mike couldn't help but feel elated as he ran. Sure, he was running for his life. Sure, the thing that would soon be on his back was an army of dog-like monsters from another dimension.

But he'd helped El. Last time something like this happened, he'd sat there, pinned to the wall (by his fear or her power, he'd never know) as the love of his life disappeared before his eyes.

At least this time, he'd distracted the hundreds of beasts that would be after her.

So Mike ran with a half smile on his face, hidden beneath the red bandana he'd picked to protect his mouth and nose from the toxic atmosphere of the tunnels. (Although Dustin had insisted they'd work, Mike was pretty sure if the atmosphere was that toxic, then the thin, scratchy fabric wouldn't help.)

That's when he fell.

His ankle twisted beneath him, a suprising and jarring sensation, sending an abrupt bolt of pain through his leg. There was a moment of panic as he tumbled, too abrupt for him to even call out. His ankle throbbed, but not as intense as it would have if he'd broken it (speaking from experience).

Mike cursed, knowing he'd slow down the rest of the group and most likely get them caught by the demodogs.

The vines began to wrap themselves around his legs and he yelled, calling out for Steve, begging for help. (Steve would later reflect on this moment and remember, with painful guilt, that he had heard Mike's plea, although he'd been so focused on getting them all out, that he hadn't noticed the context of the yell.)

Mike had nabbed Steve's lighter earlier and, remembering how the vines hated heat, began to pull his rubber gloves off, in preparation for digging around his backpack. (In hindsight, Mike, had he ever remembered back to this moment, would definitely admit to the stupidity of tossing a working lighter into a high flammable backpack. But he would also definitely argue that he had bigger problems at the moment and that a flaming ball of fabric previously known as his backpack would not be a horrible weapon- unlike his candle stick before. And, he would tell you, after exposing the bag to the slime of the Upside Down, he was probably going to buy a new one anyway.)

Mike extracted the small silver box and fumbled it in his shaking fingers, dropping it to the ground. It fell open, next to the vines, causing them to shrink away.

He carefully grabbed it again, being sure not to burn himself, and waved it next to the vines on his legs, which were beginning to attempt their way up his skinny torso.

The vines seemed to hiss and retreat away from him and his tiny silver weapon.

Mike jumped up- bad idea. In his scramble to escape the vines, he'd forgotten about his injury. His ankle made him want to scream and he nearly toppled back over.

Definitely not broken, but not something he'd want to run or jump on, like he was preparing to and had already done.

Mike looked around madly for his friends. It was then, with a pang, that he realized that they had left him behind.

Steve helped each kid up, one at a time. Max, Lucas, Dustin, Mike-

Wait. No Mike.

"Where's Mike?" Dustin called frantically, giving voice to the jumbled and panicked thoughts that had been flying through Steve's head. Almost like they were motherly instincts.

"I don't know!" He squeaked, his voice up an entire octive.

"Steve the demodogs!" Dustin yelled.

Too late. The monsters were only a few feet away. He didn't have time to scrambled up the rope. It was only a few seconds before they were ontop of him. The creatures engulfed him and Steve closed his eyes, preparing for the end...

The end that never came.

Before they could even discuss, you know, why hundreds of beasts that had tried so hard to kill them earlier just passed by the perfect opportunity to fufill their goal, the kids were peppering him with concerns about their missing party member. Lucas even started down the rope before Steve stopped him.

"You're not coming with me!" He exclaimed incredulously.

"Mike's our best friend!" Lucas argued.

"Yeah, well, I'm not letting anyone else get lost or hurt," Steve told him in a manner that he hoped demanded respect.

Lucas was definitely about to argue when Max whispered something in his ear. (Steve wouldn't know until later, that her message was "We'll just follow him when he's not looking".) The boy nodded and smiled at Steve, a grin that definitely should have set off Steve's trouble radar, for it was an expression that found its way onto his on face many times.

"See you later." Lucas' head retreated away from the hole.

Max nodded at him and told him good luck.

Dustin's face became conflicted, as if there were too many things to say. But he settled on "Thanks Steve. Bring him back to us."

It was something that the younger teenager would later regret saying.

Mike stumbled around the tunnels, every step turning his vision red. Steve had the map, so Mike had no idea where to go. He was only focused on one thing: get out.

Of course, in the back of his mind, he also thought about El. Wondered if she was okay. Prayed she was okay. Prayed he'd see her after this was all over.

After he got out.

If he got out.

That's when he turned the corner and saw it. The end of the tunnel was a cavern. He stepped out into it and discovered that it wasn't a cavern: he was right next to the Gate. The wall he next to him was the Gate. A horrible, giant, red, gross tear in the wall- tear in space and time.

A scream, from above, sent Mike's head snapping towards the silver box hanging from the ceiling. It was familiar, less a scream, more like a battle cry, one that had haunted his dreams for the past year.

It was El. From the floor he couldn't see her, but he could see the dark shadowy limb flighting to get to her, the edge of it erupting in fire.

It was horrible... but beautiful.

In a sense, it was a demonstration of El's power. And he loved it because he loved every part of her.

Then he noticed the faint wispy shadow creeping toward him. He made a move to run, but had forgotten about his ankle, which flared with pain. He fell and tried to crawl away from the shadow.

"Mike!"

"Steve? Help, Steve!"

Steve had sprinted through the tunnels, calling out Mike's name. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, and heard bickering behind him. Familiar bickering.

The kids.

He'd turned back toward them and demanded they come over to him. The three obliged, not at all guiltily. Steve was about to cuss them out when a low growl came from behind him.

He whirled around as Dustin let out a strangled sound. "Dart!"

The boy stepped in front of the group as Dart advanced. Lucas grabbed Max's hand. Steve reached for the back of Dustin's hoodie. The teenager hissed at him, commanding him to get back. Dustin ignored him and cooed at the demodog. He offered it nougat and, miraculously, it let them by.

Steve didn't waste anytime in running past the creature and, sparing the kids a lecture (a lecture?) for sake of time, he began again on the trail he had been on a minute ago, the kids on his tail.

When Steve and the kids found the cavern, they were all out of breath. Steve was the least winded, panting as hard as he would after suicides at basketball practice. (AN from both Steve and the author, SUICIDES SUUUUUUCK. I have to do them at soccer and they are true to their name tbh.) The others, well the others were wheezing. Dustin fell over. Lucas leaned against the wall. Max raised her hands over her head and rested them on top of her red hair.

They had all pulled off their bandannas in an attempt to inhale more air, which was not in an abundance here in the tunnels.

But then Steve saw something that totally sent his brain into override. Mike was clawing at the ground as a tendril of shadow pulled him into... what the hell was that?

It didn't matter though, that Steve had no idea what that crimson glowing tear in the wall was. Because Mike was being taken into it and Steve knew he couldn't let that happen.

Steve heared a feminine cry and tipped his head up to see a much bigger shadow tentacle reaching out to... was that Eleven?

Steve pushed that to the back of his mind and yelled Mike's name. The boy looked up and called for him.

Steve, not even considering his previous fatigue, sprinted toward Mike, who was struggling. His bandanna was around his neck and his gloves were no where to be seen. His goggles were askew.

Steve, the kids behind him yet again, was a few feet from Mike when the shadow gave one last great tug. Mike screamed and the boy's mop of dark hair disappeared into the glowing red tear in time and space. There was a yell from Eleven and she closed the Gate, unaware that she had just sealed Mike Wheeler inside the Upside Down.

They didn't tell her what happened.

The kids were crying. Steve felt like he was going to puke. Everything had gone silent once the Gate had closed and Hopper heard the wailing from the elevator. He lowered it as demodogs fell from the walls.

When the metal box touched the ground, Steve saw the girl- Eleven- leaning on Hopper. She was practically passed out. But, you know, Steve would assume that closing a tear in space and time would take a lot out of you.

But she glanced around the group, noticed Mike wasn't there, and began pestering him with slurred questions, knowing it was no use asking the sobbing kids.

"We left him back at the Byers'," Steve lied.

El was was too tired to realize Mike would never let them do that.

But Hopper eyed him; Steve gave him a look that told him that he had fibbed. Hopper's face went pale and he scooped Eleven up.

"Let's go see Mike, okay?" He whispered to El.

She nodded and promptly fell asleep against the Chiefs' chest.

The group boarded the elevator. As they were about to step out, Hopper stopped them.

"I don't know if you guys want to see this."

Mike's words at the house rang through all their minds. You weren't there.

"It's okay," Max whispered, grabbing Lucas' hand with her left and Dustins' with her right. Dustin latched onto Steve with his other hand.

It was horrible, though. No matter how much they tried to prepare themselves, it didn't work.

There were bloody messes everywhere. It was almost impossible to tell they were bodies. They were just sprawled around, deep gashes in their chests, lying in pools of their own blood. Dustin buried his face in Steve's side. Max looked at Lucas, who seemed to be about to puke.

"Just look at me," she whispered.

He nodded and they stared at each other.

The sight wasn't as bad as the smell though. Steve definitely thought that would be the thing to make him vomit.

After what seemed like an eternity, the reached the entrance- or, rather, their exit.

"Is that-"

"Shut up, Dustin." Lucas hit him in the side.

They had reached Bob's body.

No one asked about him when they arrived at the Byers'. Not Jonathan or Joyce. Nancy seemed like she wanted to, but knew that she wouldn't get a good answer. El and Will were alseep (in seperate rooms of course).

Hopper came back from tucking El in and took a moment to take in the group in front of him, sitting sullenly and stiffly in the living room. Even through what they'd been through that night, they didn't seem ready to sleep. Their heads tipped every once in awhile, but no one wanted to leave. No one wanted to shut their eyes and see...

"What happened?" Joyce finally asked in a small voice.

Hopper felt a pang in his heart. That woman had been through so much these past few hours, days. Her son possessed, her boyfriend eaten by demodogs. It didn't seem fair for it to happen to her.

Her question had been directed at him, but the Harrington boy, Steve, had spoken up. He explained about the tunnels. When he got to the part about realizing Mike was gone, although the teenager masked it well, Hopper could tell he blamed himself. Hopper knew because he had heard the same tone on himself many times when talking about Sarah.

"And then the shadow grabbed him and pulled him in and it's all my fault and I just- I don't- I can't- I"

Steve was sobbing. Nancy and Dustin sat on either side, comforting him. Nancy didn't say anything, but tears were running down her face.

"Mike's in the Upside Down?"

It was a kid's voice. Not Dustin, Lucas, or Max. And, thank God, it wasn't El.

The voice was broken and scared, heavy with sleep. It belonged to a boy who knew first hand what his best friend would be experiencing soon.

It was Will.

Don't tell El.

That was what they told him. Not "Mike will be okay" or "We're going to get him back".

Will remembered every single second of being possessed. He remembered Mike reminiscing about meeting for the first time. He remembered Mike retelling one if their more epic campaigns. He knew Mike wanted nothing more than to help him.

And now he was in the very place that haunted Will's nightmares.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair!

First Will is taken by the demogorgan to a hell in another dimension. Then when he's finally saved, he has nightmares and visions about it and his best friend is constantly depressed about a girl he never met. Until, finally, he is possessed by the Mind Flayer and is responsible for killings tons of Hawkins' Lab employees, not to mention his mother's boyfriend. The monster is burned out of him and, just when he thinks it might be over, he finds out that Mike's in the Upside Down.

Will wanted to scream.

But he didn't. He stayed for the retelling of the story. He stayed for the "don't tell El". Then he ran, bawling, back to his bed.

They all stayed the night. No one wanted to be alone.

The kids on the floor of Will's room (their first silent sleepover). Steve and Jonathan on the latter's floor; Nancy had his bed. Joyce and Hopper shared the couch since El was already occupying Joyce's bed.

Steve drove the kids home the next morning. Hopper offered Nancy a ride, determined to not let her be the one to have to tell her parents that her little brother would not be coming home soon. Or maybe even at all. He also needed to think of an excuse to tell them as to why.

El woke up a little after Hopper had left. It was known all through the shaking house as she yelled. Joyce made a move to rush to her, but Will was already up and shook his head, a silent "I got this".

"El?"

She was sitting upright on her head, screaming, clutching her head, eyes tightly closed.

And she stopped, suddenly, when he approached.

But where her eyes had seemed hopeful when she opened them, Will noticed that they looked crestfallen after a second.

"Will."

Was she disappointed that it was him?

No, Will realized with a jolt, remembering all the times that Joyce and Mrs. Wheeler had mistaken his and Mike's voices when calling from far rooms or on the phone. She had thought he was Mike.

"Where is he?"

He knew who she was talking about. He also knew that she didn't need to ask the question. From the way her voice had broken at the end. From the way she seemed to want to sound hopeful, but couldn't. He was sure that she knew.

"He's there."

Niether of them spoke.

"I did it."

Not a question.

"No."

"Yes."

"El-" She cut him off with a look.

"I woke up and I didn't feel him here," she whispered. "I don't feel him, Will."

He didn't know what to say. So he moved closer to her and hugged her. She shivered, but didn't resist. She didn't hug him back either.

"Nice to meet you," he muttered ironically.

(To old readers: I don't know how this is going to come up for you guys, but I just was reorganizing the chapters, none of this is a rewrite or update sorry!)