Chapter 7
Three Weeks Later
"El? Are you there?" Mike spoke into the new two-way radio that Hopper had given him. Hopper had said it was more secure than the radio Mike had to communicate with his friends. This radio had a longer range and only connected to its pair at Hopper's cabin. Apparently the signal was un-hackable. Hopper was still leery about Eleven and Mike communicating using radios, but they had pestered him into saying 'yes.' After all, he had made good progress with the men in the government. Eleven should be safe.
Sitting in his tent in the basement, Mike waited for a response from Eleven on the radio. All he heard was static. Mike looked at the clock on the wall. It was seven o'clock on the dot. That was the time they had arranged to talk every day. And so far, they had stuck to the plan.
When Hopper had returned from his errand on the day he had first let Mike, Dustin, and Lucas visit Eleven at the cabin, Mike insisted that they come up with some kind of plan for Mike to continue seeing Eleven. After much debate and Hopper saying 'no' to almost everything Mike suggested, they finally agreed on visitation once a week. At least to start off with. Mike would press Hopper for more days once Hopper got used to the idea that Eleven was finally safe. They all agreed on Tuesday afternoons.
So for three Tuesdays in a row, Mike had counted down the seconds until the last school bell rang and he could hop on his bike and pedal off to the cabin in the woods. The first time he went, Dustin and Lucas were with him again. They got lost once in the woods, but eventually found the place. They spent the afternoon teaching Eleven about dungeons and dragons and recounting some of their best quests. She didn't seem very interested, but she never said that out loud. Mike knew she just wanted to fit it even if that meant pretending she liked something that she didn't actually care much about. Although he enjoyed spending time with his friends, Mike almost wished that Lucas and Dustin hadn't joined him. He hadn't been alone with Eleven since they had slept beside each other the night they had been reunited. He desperately wanted to be alone with her again.
The second Tuesday Mike visited, Will had accompanied him. Mike was almost a little jealous at how well Eleven and Will got along. Mike knew it was because they both shared a common experience – the Upside Down. He knew that talking to Eleven was making Will feel better. Although physically he had recovered and was fine, Mike knew that mentally, Will still had a long way to go. And talking to Eleven helped.
Mike had only visited her once alone just a few days ago. Even Hopper wasn't home. He was stuck at work dealing with some kids who had spray painted the side of the high school. After Mike had arrived at the cabin, he and Eleven sat awkwardly on the couch together for a short while. It was strange how one minute he felt like he could talk to her forever and the next minute his palms got sweaty just being so close to her. Eventually they started talking about some TV show that Eleven liked to watch and their conversation blossomed from there. Eleven told him a little more about what her time was like at Hawkins lab before she met Mike and Mike told her about his childhood and his family. Eleven liked to hear about his family the most. And it was then that Mike realized how lucky he was to have the childhood he had. After only a few hours, though, Mike had to go home. He knew his mom would want him home for dinner. Mike had almost kissed her as she walked with him to the door of the cabin, but he hadn't. The timing just didn't seem to be quite right. Eleven waved goodbye to him as he hopped on his bike and left. That was what Mike was remembering as he sat in the tent in his basement, the radio held up to his mouth, waiting for Eleven to respond.
"Mike?" Eleven's voice finally came through the radio loud and clear.
"Yeah, I'm here," he said in return, smiling.
"Sorry. Hopper wouldn't let me go until I ate all of my vegetables."
"Carrots and corn again?" Mike asked.
"Yes."
"You have to tell him to cook you something other than frozen TV dinners."
"What did your mom cook today?"
"Meatloaf," Mike answered. It was one of Eleven's nightly questions. She always wanted to know what Mike had for dinner. He guessed it was because her diet consisted of the same things. Eggo waffles and anything that Swanson's made frozen on a little plastic tray.
"I don't like meatloaf," Eleven replied.
"I think you'd like my mom's. It's a lot different than that frozen stuff." Mike decided to change the topic. "What was your word today?"
"Egregious."
"What does that mean?"
"Something really bad," she told him.
"You gotta tell Hopper to pick some better words."
Eleven laughed. Mike loved the sound of her laughter. He didn't get to hear it enough. He imagined what she was doing in the cabin. Was she sitting on her bed? Was she on the couch where Hopper could hear? What was she wearing? Overalls with a plaid shirt? The green sweater that looked good on her? Really good.
"He doesn't like when I tell him what to do," Eleven said with a lightness to her voice. Mike imagined her smiling.
"Maybe next time I can bring you a dictionary so you can find some better words," Mike suggested.
"I'd like that."
Mike smiled himself. There was a natural pause in their conversation.
"The Snowball is on Saturday," Mike finally said, hoping Hopper wasn't in the room with her.
"I know."
"Has Hopper…changed his mind?"
There was a pause.
"No," Eleven finally answered.
When Eleven told Mike that Hopper officially said 'no' to her going to the Snowball Dance, Mike was angry. He wanted to yell at Hopper, to give him a piece of his mind. But Mike didn't. He didn't because he knew that Hopper was just trying to keep Eleven safe. Maybe sometimes he went overboard, but Mike would never forgive himself if something happened to her. He had lost her once. He never wanted to lose her again.
"Oh," Mike replied.
"Are you still going?" Eleven asked.
"I…I don't know," Mike answered.
"You should go, Mike."
"There doesn't seem to be any point…without you."
"Lucas and Dustin and Will want you to go."
"It's just a lame dance."
"But you'll be with your friends. I'd want to be with my friends if I could."
And that's when Mike realized all of the things that he could do that Eleven couldn't. It wasn't just going to school or being able to leave his house. It was being with his friends pretty much whenever he wanted. It was doing normal kid things. And that included going to a stupid, middle school dance. Mike didn't want to go without Eleven, but somehow he felt the need to go for Eleven.
"Ok," he said. "I'll go."
"Good."
"But I won't have fun without you."
"Will you tell me about it after?"
Mike was about to respond when he heard his mom call his name from upstairs.
"Coming!" Mike yelled to his mother without pressing the button on the radio for Eleven to hear.
"Mike?" Eleven said into the radio.
Mike clicked the button so she could hear him again.
"Yeah," he answered. "I'll tell you all about how lame it is. But I gotta go. My mom's calling."
"Goodbye Mike," Eleven said.
"Bye El."
Mike put the radio down, covering it with blankets so that his mom wouldn't see it when she came down to do the laundry. Even though he liked talking to Eleven, sometimes after their conversations, Mike felt sad. Like he wished there were more he could for El. Mike heard his name being called again. He scrambled out of the tent, trying to put the Snowball and Eleven out of his mind. But that was easier said than done.
The Next Day
Hopper placed the birth certificate Dr. Owens had just given him in his pocket. His meeting with the doctor had gone better than even Hopper could have planned. He didn't know how Dr. Owens was going to help him and Eleven, but when the doctor had called that morning to say he wanted to meet, Hopper had been hopeful that it would be good news. And it was. Eleven was his daughter. Emotionally she had been his daughter for quite some time. But now, she was his daughter legally. No one could take her away from him. They still had to wait a little more time before things really calmed down enough for her to step out of the shadows, but Hopper could wait. He would do anything to give her the life she deserved. Then there was the little matter of the school dance. Hopper knew Eleven desperately wanted to go. And Dr. Owens hadn't exactly said no. He had just said 'be careful.' It was up to Hopper whether or not he thought she should go. She had spent so much time cooped up in the small cabin that Hopper wanted her to start getting out to enjoy life. Step one would be the Hawkins Middle School Snowball.
Hopper got in his car outside the bar and sped off towards home. In no time at all, he parked the truck on the side of the road and headed off on foot towards the cabin. He was so excited to tell Eleven the good news that by the time he got to the front door of the cabin, he almost fumbled his secret knock. Hopper pulled himself together and managed to wipe the goofy smile off his face. He didn't want her to think there was something wrong with him. Hopper knocked and a moment later, the door opened.
"You're early," Eleven said as she opened the door.
"Yeah, well, I figured it's never too late to start working on your promises. Maybe this'll make up for all of those times I was late."
Hopper closed the door the cabin, locking it behind them. He took off his coat and hat and threw them on a nearby chair.
"You don't have to work late?"
"Nope. Took the rest of the day off."
"Why?" Eleven asked, confused. He had never done that before.
"Because I have something to show you."
Hopper reached into the breast pocket of his shirt. He pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Eleven. She took it, looking it over carefully.
"I don't understand," she said.
"It's your birth certificate."
"Birth certificate?"
"Yeah. When everyone a baby is born, they're given a birth certificate that shows who the baby's parents are and what the baby's name is. It's…official. Filed with the government. This is your new birth certificate."
Eleven ran her fingertip over the name of her mother. Then she looked at the father's name. She glanced up at him sharply.
"But you're not my father," she said.
"Legally, now I am."
Eleven stared at him, trying to make sense of it.
"My father?" She questioned.
"Yeah. Is that…ok?"
Eleven looked back down at the piece of paper and then up at Hopper again. Suddenly tears came to her eyes. She wasn't sure why. She wasn't sad. She wasn't hurt. But nevertheless, a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Yes," she answered.
Hopper opened his arms and Eleven stepped towards him. He enveloped her in a tight hug. She buried her head against his chest, letting herself feel loved and protected. As much as there were moments where she didn't like Hopper and disagreed with him, she also loved him. He made her feel safe. He made her feel like she had a home. Eleven guessed that's how children were supposed to feel about their parents. She had just never felt that way about her papa. But, then again, he was never a real father to her anyway.
"I'm glad you're happy, kid."
She stepped out of his embrace. "It says my name is Jane."
"Yeah, that's the name your mother gave you. But we don't have to call you Jane, unless you want to."
"No," she said, shaking her head. "My name is Eleven."
He nodded. "Ok. We just might have a harder time convincing teachers to call you that at school."
"School?"
"Yeah."
"I get to go to school?" She questioned, more tears unexpectedly threatening to fall.
"Not right away. Dr. Owens says we still have to wait for things to calm down a bit. But eventually."
"I'll get to be like a real kid," she said.
"Yeah."
"How long?" She asked with a smile. "How long is not right away?"
"A year."
Eleven's smile faded. "Three hundred sixty-five days," she whispered.
"It won't be that bad," Hopper assured her. "It doesn't mean you have to be locked up here alone for all that time. Mike can come visit. And we can start with little things."
"Little things?"
"Yeah, like going to the store one day or maybe even going to see a movie. We just have to be careful. And we're going to have to figure out an explanation for how and why I suddenly have a teenager living with me, but we'll get there. I promise you, it won't be like before."
She nodded. "Ok."
"And there's one more thing," Hopper added.
"What?"
"How would you like to go to the Snowball tomorrow?"
Eleven's eyes widened. "But you said one year."
"I think we can make an exception for one night."
"I can go to the Snowball?" Eleven asked, trying to keep the excitement from her voice.
"Yes. We'll still have to be careful. And I'm going to be outside the entire time, but you can go."
Eleven practically leaped into his arms, hugging him again.
"Thank you!" She shrieked, sounding like a very normal, very excited teenager.
"You're welcome. But there's something we…ah…we have to do before the Snowball."
"What?"
"We have to find you something to wear."
Eleven looked down at her overalls and her red shirt.
"I have clothes."
"Yeah, but you can't wear that," Hopper said. He thought about what was in her closet.
Hopper had done all of the clothes shopping for her. He had basically stuck to three main things. Jeans, sweaters, and plaid shirts. Eleven had nothing that she could wear to a dance. "Or anything else you own."
"Why?"
"Because when you go to a school dance, you…you…dress up. The girls usually wear dresses."
"I don't have a dress," she said, her excitement fading.
"Don't worry. We're going to get you one. Come on."
Eleven smiled. She couldn't wait.
Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter. Things in my real life have just been crazy recently and I haven't found much time for writing. I promise you, though, that this story will be completed (just maybe not as quickly as I would like). Thank you so much for sticking with me and reading!
