The first thing he remembered of that night is the light.
The bright, sparkly, yellow light that had come from just outside the window, from the Byers' courtyard.
Then, he remembered the bang and the following smash and the hundreds of pieces of glass that were suddendly scattered across the floor.
There was also something else on the floor: one of those creepy Demogorgons- "it's Demo-dogs" he can hear Dustin's echo inside his head- was resting, liveless, just a few steps away from his feet.
And after that, it happened: it was fast, still it seemed to Mike that the whole world and the time itself had stopped.
And he didn't mind, if he had to be honest.
Because nothing else really mattered, when the girl he had missed like crazy in the last year was right there, in front of him and everybody else, standing just in front of the door, with tearful eyes.
That's the thing he actually liked to remember the most: that scary, completely messed up, but still perfect moment in which he had held her once again, in his arms, not really wanting to let her go ever again.
In that moment, with El's hands around his shouders and her soft hair under his chin, Mike felt like he had just started to breath again. To breath again after 353 days of pure agony.
He was literally alive again, alive again after the night that had probably the longest of his entire life: Will was finally freed, the Gate has been closed and everybody was just fine.
Eleven was fine too.
Now, the night was coming to an end and some shy rays of sunshine were starting to appear over the horizon.
The gang was still at the Byers' and everyone was trying to get some rest after all that just happened.
Mike was sitting outside, on the steps of the front porch, with Eleven's head resting on his shoulder, his right arm surrounding her waist.
"I'm so happy that you're here, El. That you're home."
"I am too."
They both giggled, having a sort of sweet dejavu: so many things had changed in the last year.
Actually, they had changed a lot, in that last year: they were both taller, thinner and with a different light in their eyes.
Now, Mike was a pretty handsome teenager and so was El, that was still resting on his shoulder, not having the strenght nor the courage to separate from him.
"I've missed you so much. Every day, Mike."
Mike could distinctly feel his heart melting and he couldn't stop the little tears that came right after those words.
"I've missed you too, El, more than I can even say." He took a deep breath and rubbed her arm gently.
"You know, there were some days in which all I wanted to do was lying in the basement and just … I don't know … I think I kind of tried to pretend that you were still there."
El raised her head up, now looking him straight in the eyes, and said:
"Mike, I am so sorry. I heard you. I saw you in my mind and I… I wasn't there, I …"
"Stop, stop, El. Listen to me: this is not your fault, okay? You don't even have to think that. You've been amazing, everyone's okay and safe and you're here now. With me."
The last two words was merely audible, but that was enough to have El smile so widely that Mike would have screamed that for the rest of his life.