A/N: Not a crossover this week, but pretty angsty. I hope you enjoy!
Island
It was a week into 1984 when Hopper brought home a calendar. El had seen calendars in the Lab. But never up close. She remembered seeing puppies, canyons, and even laser swords. This one was different. This one had water so blue she hardly believed it was real. There was 'sand' so white it looked like snow. In one picture there were mountains surrounded by water and, in another, only a single tree on a small 'beach'. Some pictures had small boats, others large cruise ships. It was a magical vision, a world so beautiful it could not be real.
Survival
In his dreams Mike tries to dissect the explosion, discharge of mental energy that killed the Demogorgon and took El away from him. He would freeze the moment in time and look at it from all angles; wanting a hint of what happened to her, where she went, was she alive, would she survive. Did she teleport? Was that even a power she had? Had she dissipated, burning up in energy she wielded? Was she somehow sucked through a different gate passage into the upside down? If she had survived, they had to go after her. They absolutely had to.
Lost
There were times, in his darkest moments, when Mike Wheeler thought of leaving life. Times when he could not find a way to expel Eleven from his mind. It was only in those blackest times that he would even consider ridding himself of her. Like breaking an addiction that is killing you. His love would turn to hate, hatred of himself, and hatred of the girl he loved, the girl whom had given her life to save him. All of them. How could she know what her selfless act would end up being an unending prison of grief and despair?
Other
"Are you dreaming?" Dustin asked Lucas as they two of them biked to school.
"Of course I'm dreaming," Lucas retorted. "I'm still alive, right?"
Dustin rolled his eyes. "Be serious, for a minute, Dude! Do you have nightmares?"
"Why would I tell you if I was having nightmares?" Lucas said. "That is my business."
"Who else are you going to tell, Mr. Cool? There are only a few of us who know about the other place and what lives there."
"It's gone, Dustin. El killed it. There aren't any more."
Dustin peered over his sunglasses. "Are you sure about that?"
Flashback
What haunts El in her dreams is the moment she thought she would die; the moment when all of the energy within her was being directed outward. Her mind was on the monster, but he heart was with Mike. If she died, she would never see him again. But, if she didn't kill the Demogorgon, the same result would occur. She had no choice. She had to save Mike whether she died or not. It was so hot; her whole body felt like it was going to explode. She just needed to hold on for a few more seconds. Mike…