El had always assumed that her first kiss, if there ever was a first kiss, would be awkward and fast. Her reality was much more pleasant. They stood in Mike's kitchen kissing, El couldn't say for how long. She had lost all sense of time. The feel of his hands on her head, fingers gently running through her hair, sent a tingling sensation down her spine.

When they finally stopped they grinned at each other. El was a little surprised that she didn't feel at all awkward now that it was over. She felt relaxed and Mike seemed to as well. There was something about him that always put her at ease.

"Your glasses are cute. I didn't know you wore glasses." Mike tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. It had escaped her ponytail.

"I usually just wear them at night. Are you making fun of me?" She asked good-naturedly.

"Definitely not. I'm serious. I think they're kind of sexy."

El blushed. She looked away from him but when she looked back he was still smiling at her, causing her heart to do that thing again.

"I was going to bed soon but I can move out to the sofa. I don't mind."

"No, you can sleep in the bed. I'll be fine." Mike shook his head.

El thought for a minute. "Well, your bed is big enough. What if we shared it?"

"Really? That sounds good to me." Mike's voiced almost cracked, his throat had gotten so dry with her question.

Mike had to put a few things away from his trip, had to finish putting away the food his mother had sent back. El had padded down the hall back to his room. When he got there she was sitting up in bed writing in her journal but she had taken off the sweatshirt, revealing the white tank top she was wearing underneath it. Mike thought she looked more at home in his bed than he ever had.

"I'm gonna put on my pajamas." He took some pants out of his dresser.

"Want me to leave?" El asked.

"No. I'm nothing to write home about. My boxers aren't going to reveal anything." He winked at her but El still felt her cheeks get warmer. He let his jeans drop to the floor and was in the pajama pants before El knew it. He changed from the long sleeved shirt he had been wearing to a t-shirt. El could make out the definition of his muscles on his thin frame.

He climbed into his side of the bed. El finished writing and set the journal on Mike's bedside table along with her glasses. She turned off the lamp and got comfortable. She was lying on her side, facing Mike, and he was facing her.

"I've never slept in the same bed as anyone before." El moved her hand underneath her head. "You've caused me to do a lot of things for the first time."

"Like what?" Mike moved a tiny bit closer to her.

"Like I've never told anyone about my life in the lab, that's a first. You were the first person who ever sang to me and the first person I ever went to a restaurant and had dinner with. I had never watched movies or eaten pizza with someone at their house, that's another first. You were the first person who ever hugged me. And you were the first person to ever kiss me." Her voice got more quiet as she said that. She was looking into Mike's eyes. "And now you're the first person I'm ever going to sleep next to in the same bed."

"I'm happy you're here, El. Could you, um, could you scoot a little closer?"

El moved forward, getting closer to him. He pulled her the rest of the way until his arms could wrap around her.

"This okay?"

El nodded. If she was being honest with herself she had been hoping he would want to cuddle or snuggle or whatever it was but had been afraid to ask. She didn't feel pressured in any way, just comfortable and content. Her face was on his neck, her arm around his waist.

"And you're my first friend. That's the best thing."

El spent the remainder of the weekend with Mike. They played video games where Mike always won. She wouldn't allow herself to cheat even though she knew she could. On Saturday night she slept with him in his bed again but like the night before, they just cuddled and then slept. She woke up Sunday with him spooning her from behind and let herself fall back to sleep, wanting it to last as long as possible.

Mike made waffles and eggs and bacon on Sunday morning and El was reminded that she had never had anyone cook for her, other than people who worked in restaurants that she had eaten in over the years, usually fast food type places where a kid wouldn't draw much attention.

Mike heard El sigh as she looked at her plate filled with food.

"What is it?"

"This is nice. I was just thinking about how I never get this. Sunday morning breakfasts, lounging on the couch watching television, it's just nice."

It was on the tip of Mike's tongue to tell her that she could have that every weekend, that she could live in his extra room and never feel alone again, but he didn't think she was ready yet. He didn't want to ask and be turned down.

"You can always have breakfast with me, El." He thought that was a good cover for what he'd really wanted to say.

As the day drew on it got closer to time for El to return to her real life of living in the library attic. She had class the next morning and her books were all there and even though she had been dreading going back there, she knew she had to.

Mike walked her to the library. It was dark but not that late, the late autumn sun setting early. They stopped in her spot in the bushes to say goodbye.

"Please don't just sit around in here, come to my place. You can let yourself in if I'm not there. I hate to think of you sitting all alone in that little room with barely any light."

"Okay, Mike. I'll come over when I'm lonely."

She put her arms around his waist and hugged him. He returned the hug but after a minute he shifted so that she would look at him. El, thinking something was wrong when he moved his arms, looked up at him with concern and that's when his lips met hers and it felt like her first kiss all over again. He put his hand on her cheek and they both slanted their heads slightly. El felt weak in the knees.
"Be careful going inside. If I don't see you tomorrow I'll see you Tuesday at lab."

"M'kay." El nodded and Mike kissed her one more time before walking back the way he came.

El went upstairs and sat on her cot. Having a taste of what a real life was like might be worse than never having one at all. She had felt happy when she was with Mike.

El was dreaming of the past. She was in a tank of water, surrounded by darkness, and she was scared. She could feel the water on her arms, it was so real. She hadn't had a nightmare like this in a while but for the few previous nights since coming back from Mike's she had started to be plagued by bad dreams again.

Outside thunder rumbled loudly. The winds whipped around the building and the rains, which had started an hour or so before, got heavier. The weight of the water on the roof of the library caused some old shingles to wash away and the water started to drip into the building. It was at first a slow trickle but then became a small stream, landing on El's arm while she slept on her cot.

She finally alerted, sitting up and realizing that the water from her dream was in fact real water and it was falling from the ceiling. Her floor was already wet. She quickly threw on her shoes and stuffed as many clothes as she could into her duffle bag. She was glad she had left her laptop sitting in the chair before she went to bed or it would now be saturated. She put it in her backpack with all of her textbooks, her journals, and her glasses. She grabbed her coat, which felt damp, and shoved her arms into the sleeves. Looking around the room, she thought she had everything of value to her. She opened the door to the hallway and was surprised to find water there as well. It was close to 3:00 in the morning and she could hear the storm outside but she knew that with the damage that had already been caused by the leak she would not be able to stay there any longer. They would have to repair the damage and she would most definitely be found.

When she got outside, having noticed water damage had made its way as far down as the second floor, the cold was numbing. She didn't have an umbrella and she was soaked before she even got to the street in front of the library. She trudged on, knowing that there was only one place she knew to go at such a late hour where she would feel safe and warm.

She was crossing a street next to a bus stop. The rain was filling the gutters and rushing like small rapids through any litter that had accumulated there. The covered bus stop was just ahead of her and she thought she would catch her breath there. She stepped inside, noting that luckily the wind was blowing from behind the covered area and the rain wasn't pelting her anymore. She had only been standing there for a few seconds when another person entered. Instead of keeping to himself he stood right next to her, looming over her. His gray beard was dripping with rainwater and his eyes looked wild.

"What are you doing here at this time of night, baby?" El felt disgusted at his pet name and even more disgusted that he was reaching out to put his hand on her. He pushed her against the wall of the bus stop and stood in front of her.

"Little girls shouldn't be out alone. I'll take care of you." He was about to touch her cheek.

El couldn't stand it. She focused on him and knew that he noticed the look in her eyes. He couldn't see for long though because next the lights in the bus stop exploded and the man was hurled across the length of it, smashing into the opposite wall so hard that it left a dent and the roof of the bus stop slanted.

El didn't wait to see anything else. She hurried in the direction of Mike's apartment. She felt like crying.

She was so cold when she got to Mike's that her fingers felt like they would break if she tried to make a fist. She knocked on the door as best she could, but he was probably asleep and might not even hear her. The thought of having to remain outside in the cold was something she pushed to the back of her mind. She knocked again.

Finally she heard the locks turning and the door opened just slightly. She could see Mike's dark mop of hair sticking every which way. He was rubbing his eyes.

"El? What's wrong?" He opened the door so that she could come inside. He noticed immediately how cold she was. Her teeth were chattering and her lips were almost blue and she was shivering uncontrollably.

"There was a l-leak in the r-r-roof and everything is wet. I di-didn't know where else to g-go. I'm s-s-sorry."

Mike barely heard her. He had taken her bags, pulling her backpack from her back, and was removing her coat. Her clothes were totally wet. He pulled her to the sofa and sat her down so he could remove her wet shoes. He pulled a blanket around her shoulders and then went to find her some clothes to wear. It was clear that her bag was waterlogged.

He grabbed the first sweatshirt he could find and a t-shirt for her to wear underneath it. His sweatpants would be too big but they would have to do.

"Go take a hot shower and try to warm up. You can wear these. I'll take care of the wet stuff." Mike didn't wait for her to answer. He took her duffle bag and went to the little alcove in his kitchen where his small washer and dryer were stored and started a load of her laundry. It made him sad when he looked into the washing machine and her entire wardrobe didn't take up half of it. When he got back to the living room she was still on the sofa.

"Come on, El." He took her hand. She seemed to be a little bit in shock. He led her down the hall to the bathroom. "Just warm up. You can put these on when you feel better." He set the clothes he'd found for her on the sink. She nodded but continued to stand still. Mike started the water and made sure it was a nice warm temperature. He stood right in front of her so he knew she was seeing him. "You have to get in. You'll feel so much better. I'll make you some tea, or cocoa? Which would you prefer."

"Tea? Tea."

"Okay. Are you going to get in the shower?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I'm going into the kitchen now."

To try to bring her back to herself he kissed her forehead before he left the room. El sighed and removed her wet clothes. She stepped into the hot shower and immediately started to feel better, just like Mike had said.

By the time she appeared again, looking warmer but sad and worried, Mike had made tea and her clothes were already in the dryer. She glanced at the clock in the kitchen, it was a little after 5:00.

"I don't know how I can make it to class today. I feel so drained. I don't know where I'm going to live, Mike."

Mike just held her as she started to cry.

"At least you're safe. You don't have to go to class, you can stay here. Want me to stay here today with you? I will. I don't have much today." He was rubbing her back and she was starting to feel the tiniest bit less worried. "Let's go sit on the sofa and drink our tea. It's more comfortable."

He held her hand as they went into the living room and it didn't go unnoticed by El.

Mike could see that now that she was warmer and felt safe the events of the night were catching up to her, the adrenaline was gone and exhaustion was setting in.

"Um, you can say no, but if you want to come sleep with me you can."

El thought nothing sounded better than to sleep next to Mike and have him keep her warm. She was so tired now.

"Okay. I'm so sleepy."

"I know. You had a rough night. It's over now though. We can just hang out tomorrow and figure out what you're going to do. I'll help you."

She smiled shyly at him. Mike always loved the different little smiles she had. Her face was so full of expression.

Once they were in Mike's bed El snuggled against him. She could feel sleep already starting to overtake her.

"I'm glad you came here when you didn't know where else to go. I'm glad you thought of me." Mike held her against his side, letting her head rest halfway on his chest.

"You're my best friend, Mike."

Mike was awake for a while, holding El and listening to her breathe. His brain was coming up with ideas of what he could do to help her. He knew what he wanted to do to help and he was thinking that maybe it wouldn't be so wrong to ask. She had nowhere to go and no one knew her predicament but him. It was the best solution he could come up with. He vowed to himself that he would discuss it with her when she was awake and was feeling better. He told himself that he was holding her so tightly because he was trying to keep her warm but he knew he was lying to himself. He knew that he felt more whole when she was in his arms.

When El woke up Mike was asleep, his arms still wrapped around her. She watched him and felt something bubbling in her chest. Happiness? He opened his eyes not long after but didn't seem surprised that she was looking at him.

"Do you feel better now? Warmer?" Mike asked. The rain had stopped and sun was filtering through his blinds, landing on his face. His hair was in his eyes.

El pushed the hair away so that she could see him better.

"I feel a lot better now." She got quiet and looked away from him. Mike noticed her facial expression had suddenly changed.

"What's wrong?"

"Mike, on the way over here last night, or this morning or whenever it was, a man tried to, well I don't really know what his plan was but I knew I wasn't safe and I kind of made him fly across the bus stop vestibule and crash into the other side. I messed the entire bus stop up. Then I ran here. It made me feel gross and I can still see him standing in front of me. He was trying to put his hand on my cheek."

Mike thought that explained how shocked she seemed to be the night before better than just being cold and wet. He sat up and pulled her into him.

"He didn't get you though. You made it here and now everything is okay."

"Well, not everything. I still don't have anywhere to live."

Mike held her head close to him, she didn't seem grossed out when he put his hand on her cheek.

"El, what if, um, what if you moved into my extra room? I don't use it and I like you being here and you need a place to stay. It would be perfect."

El didn't answer him but she moved her arms so that she was hugging him, he felt her sigh into his chest, he felt her relax.

"I don't know if I'll be a very good roommate. I've-"

"Never lived with anyone before. I know." Mike finished her sentence. She stared at him, her jaw slack, before they both burst into laughter.

There wasn't a bed in Mike's extra room but they made it work until they could procure some furniture for El. She hadn't planned on sleeping in Mike's bed with him every night but until she had her own bed he said that's how he wanted it. It took a little over a week to scout out some used furniture stores and find what they wanted but they finally were happy with their choices and the store would deliver so El knew that in two more days she would have her own room with her own furniture at Mike's place. Their place.

The night after they had bought the furniture and knew that in just a couple of days El could sleep by herself, they found themselves not just cuddling. The heat between them was getting stronger and they were both finding it more and more difficult to control themselves. They made out for hours, but never removed their clothes. Mike was trying his hardest to remind himself that this was all still new to her and he didn't want to make her regret anything.

"I think it might be good that you'll have your own bed soon." Mike was almost breathless, kissing El was making him a little crazy.

"You don't want me in here?" She asked. She was nibbling on his ear lobe and how does she know to do that?

"I definitely want you in here. Maybe a little too much, you know?"

"Oh. Yeah. I know," she said quietly. She knew exactly what he meant because she knew she felt the same way but didn't think she was quite ready to take the next step, not ready in her mind anyway.

Once the furniture was delivered El was quite happy in her new room. Mike had found some old Star Wars sheets of his to put on her bed and he gave her a teddy bear to set on top of it. She even had a fuzzy rug and a mirror. It was more than she'd ever had in her life.

They finished out the semester, both of them getting all A's in their classes. Christmas break was coming and practically everyone on campus would be gone for the almost three week long hiatus.

"What do you want for Christmas, El?" Mike asked as they were sitting in her room just talking. She liked hanging out in there, liked having her own place.

"I don't need anything. You've done so much for me already. But I would definitely like to get you something. What would you like for Christmas, Mike?"

Mike thought about it for a bit but he knew his answer. He was just worried that he would put her on the spot.

"I want you to come home with me to Hawkins for the break. I want you to meet my friends and family."

He had braced himself for the distinct possibility that she would quickly refuse but it looked like she might be mulling it over.

"Okay. If that's what you want. I know if I feel weird about it you'll make me feel better."

Mike was caught off guard by her remark. "Well, yeah. Totally."

"Where would I sleep?" The thought occurred to her that it would be yet another first, the first time that she ever stayed at someone's parents' house and would be considered a guest.

"Well, I'm sure we can both just sleep in the basement. That's where I spent most of my time when I lived at home. My mom will be okay with it. My mom is gonna love you."

"Why would you think that?" El looked at him questioningly.

"El, come on. You are awesome." He moved to sit next to her on the bed. "You're super smart, your voice sounds like music, your smile brightens any room, you're amazingly sweet, and you're the prettiest girl I've ever known. What's not to love?"

El knew he didn't mean it the way it sounded but hearing the word love used in the same sentence as her name made her feel emotions she had never felt. Her lower lip started to tremble and the more she tried to make it stop the more it trembled.

"Hey, don't cry." He pulled her closer to him. She tried to stop but she had to let herself cry into his shoulder for a few minutes. He was giving her all the things she thought she'd never have and he was doing it like it was no big deal but to El it was a very big deal and it made her so happy sometimes that all she could do was cry.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I get like this." El sniffed and tried to get herself under control.

"It's okay. I kind of get an ego boost out of comforting a superhero."

She punched him playfully but then rested her head back against his chest.

They packed their things the night before they were to go back to Hawkins. Mike had gone out to get them some food and when he came back there were no parking places so he had to park on the street. It had been snowing all day, the snow starting a few days earlier but Chicago was always prepared for such an occurrence.

Early the next morning Mike was awakened by a loud sound that he recognized immediately.

"Shit!"

He swore so loudly that El heard him from her room and came out to see what the problem was. He saw her and explained.

"The plow just went by. I heard it. My car is on the street and it's going to be covered in snow and we won't be able to go home." He was frantic.

El stopped him from pacing around. She made him look at her.

"Mike, it's okay. I can take care of it."

"You can? How?" It occurred to Mike then that he had never seen her use her powers except for that night that the lights went out and the tv turned on.

"Just get ready like normal. It's going to be fine. I promise." She stood up on her toes and kissed him and he could feel her energy. He knew she would fix everything.

There was no one out on the street when they were ready to leave. Mike watched as El looked at his car, which was covered in snow. She looked determined and focused and kind of mad all at once. Her head flicked to the right Mike heard the snow sigh and rumble softly. Then the snow covering the hood of his car began to grumble, rising off the metal and forming a ball in the air before flying swiftly into an alley near where Mike had parked. Then her head flicked the other way and the snow in the back did the same thing. Mike could see the tiny crystals bunching together, could hear the ice scraping the car. Finally she lifted her right hand and the snow around the tires and door, packed in and dirty, started to actually dissipate. There was a heaving sound and something like the sound of suction releasing. Mike could see some of the snow evaporating to steam while some larger chunks joined the other snow in the alley. Mike's jaw felt like it was on the sidewalk. When she was finished she turned to him. She looked hopeful, like a kid who wanted to please their teacher.

"You are so awesome." Mike hugged her so hard her feet came off the ground. When he set her back down she was smiling so brightly at him that he had to kiss her.

"That was amazing. I always believed you but seeing it is something entirely different."

They loaded into Mike's car and started their journey.

Mike reached over and squeezed El's hand, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Hawkins, we're coming home."

A/N: So they're goin' back to Hawkins (to Hawkins, to Hawkins...). I know I just said that the others would only be mentioned but it looks like they'll turn up for Christmas and El can meet them all. Since El lives with Mike now, I wonder how that tension will finally play out. And if I haven't been clear this is an AU that is set in more modern times so it's before now but not much before. Definitely uses the technology we have now. And as always thanks for reading and I appreciate any reviews but no worries if that's not your thing. I write for me.