El let out a blood curling scream, Mike woke up as if someone had shocked his heart with electricity, his lungs struggled to keep up with his rapid breathing, -'WHAT, WHAT'S WRONG' he yelled, -'WE HAVE TO FIND HIM MIKE WE HAVE TO FIND HIM' she hugged him so tight, her fingernails left marks on his back, -'He-he has my same mark, Mike...they're gonna keep him forever', -'No no no baby. We won't let them okay? We are gonna find him', El tried to calm herself down, -'You promise?', -'Yes, I promise. I will make sure of that'.

DAYS LATER

-'Mike?'. A knock. Silence. A knock.

-'Mike open up, it's Nancy'. El glanced at the clock. 6am. Then around her.

Mike's head was nestled against her warm chest, curled up into his Star Trek sheets. The girl lifted her pinky lazily and unlocked the door, letting Nancy in swiftly. She looked different. Long blonde hair around her sweet, gentle face.

-'Hey...' she entered slowly, -'I'm sorry I woke you guys up, I just got here',

El shook her head, -'It's okay. I don't sleep much these days',

Nancy looked down at her feet, -'I'm sorry, I don't know what to say',

-'You don't have to say anything',

the young woman nodded, -'How's he doing?' She motioned over at her little brother.

El glanced at Mike through the corner of her eye, -'Not well' she started caressing his abundant black hair, -'He's back into his depression...he gets angry a lot, he cries, he's losing hair...losing weight, losing appetite. Everything. It's just wrong',

Nancy sighed in dismay, -'I-I found this laying around. Every store in Hawkins has one, I think' she unfolded a flyer she had in her purse.

The picture of a baby boy with wide green eyes, a head full of black hair and faint freckles around his nose and cheeks stared back at her.

HAWKINS, INDIANA POLICE DEPARTMENT

KIDNAPPED

Levi Michael Wheeler.

1 year old.

21 pounds.

28cm tall.

Eyes: Green

Hair: Black

Skin: Freckled fair

Last seen wearing a striped shirt and soft navy blue pants.

REWARD OFFERED.

If seen, contact Hawkins Police Station.

El felt like the world was crushing her. It was real. Or, realer.

The young mom held Nancy's hand and dragged her out of Mike's bedroom.

They walked downstairs into the still quiet livinh room.

-'What' Nancy asked curiously.

-'Mike is dying Nancy. He-it's like he is not himself anymore. You wanna know how much weight he lost in a week? He lost ten pounds. He is living off supplementary drinks. That's all he wants. And this is the first night he has slept and that's because I gave him a sleeping pill...',

El's lip quivered when she saw Nancy's worried blue eyes staring right back, -'Nancy, I miss my baby, I miss my son...but I don't wanna lose Mike too' she was breaking, finally able to speak to somebody other than Mike and Hopper.

Nancy hugged El tight, trying not to cry herself, -'Oh come here...Everyone is thinking about him, El...everyone's looking for him. Hopper, mainly. You know how fierce he is',

El chuckled sadly, -'He promised with his life Nance...',

-'Means he's gonna resolve this. Trust him, and everything will be fine. I'll stay here for as long as you two need me', the girl nodded gently and took in Nancy's floral perfume. Calming lavender.

-'Tom, I swear I will reward you if you do this for me', -'Anything Hop, what's wrong?',

Hopper pulled a paper out of his jacket pocket and slid it in front of his friend.

The man read the paper and stared at the picture. -'This is my grandson. And he was kidnapped-', -'Woah woah woah...you have a grandson?',

Hop nodded and smiled unconsciously; memories of his times and adventures with the jolly little baby flashed before his eyes. A torture and solace.

-''Jane gave birth to a boy last year',

-'Wow! That's amazing! She's such a sweet girl, I-',

-'He's missing. Tom. The baby's missing',

-'Right, okay. So what do you want me to find out?',

-'We have turned Hawkins 360 degrees trying to find this kid. It's been almost two weeks. My son-in-law sank into depression again, El is a handful of nerves and I honestly don't know what to fucking do. I'm desperate, Thomas',

-'Have you considered the possibility that maybe...the child perished out on his own?', Hop took a sip of his drink,

-'Levi is one. He can barely stand properly, let alone walk. He was kidnapped, Thomas',

-'H-How...did anyone saw this happen?', -'Mike, El and the baby were gonna go to some strip mall after having breakfast, and...someone hit their car from behind, flung them against a fucking pine tree...and took the baby away from the wreck',

-'Maybe-maybe the baby got out on his own', the fact that Hopper couldn't just say 'my telekinetic daughter saw my grandson in the void and she knows he is with the people that experimented on her for the first twelve years of her life and now they went after her son, in vain because he doesn't have any powers'.

-'Tell me how a one year old toddler unlatched his baby seat, opened a car door and walked out of a wreck...Thomas I am one hundred percent serious and desperate. I need to look into Chicago. Please', Thomas nodded -'Anything for you, friend...but what are we looking for?',

-'Suits.'

FLASHBACK

-'Are you gonna be okay alone with him?' El asked while putting on her earrings, -'Yeah, and Joyce is coming', -'AND Dustin and Lucas' Will yelled from the kitchen, -'Listen kid I doubt your friends would like to help me taking care of the baby', -'You never know' Mike said with a grin, -'Like I would let them in the first place'.

-'Okay big boy, you're gonna be okay with Pa and Mamam, right?', Mike liked giving his son little ridiculous pep talks as if he could understand what he was saying.

-'He's 7 months old Wheeler he doesn't know what you're saying', -'Just let me talk, these work...You'll be good right? I know you will...don't make your Pa go too crazy okay? Be easy on him, he's an old man-',

-'Hey! What's with this blackmailing?', Mike chuckled and cuddled his son close, he smelled like lavender and his pj's were soft against his skin, then rubbing his freckled nose against Levi's own.

-'It's just a few hours, I know you'd much rather be with me than with that grumpy bear', El chuckled from inside her bedroom, -'They're killing you, dad!',

-'Nobody's killing me, also, are you ready El?', -'She's been ready for like an hour' Will rolled his eyes,

-'Shut up William, my hair is a mess', -'Imm about to braid your whole head so you never have to worry about it again',

-'Okay okay! I'm ready!', -'It's just a date night with Mike, nothing special', Mike raised his eyebrows,

-'Only our first date night since the baby was born!',

-'Mhmm, still with you, nothing special' Hopper ruffled the young man's hair affectively, ignoring his protests.

-'Okay! Time to go...goodnight sweet baby, be good' Mike held Levi up and examined him. It was like every time he looked at him he was falling inlove all over again. And Hopper could see that from a mile away. He was giving his son what his father never gave him. A sense of safety, belonging and unconditional love.

-'Are you done smothering my son with kisses' El raised an eyebrow and flattened the short skirt of her dress, -'Why yes, now it's your turn'.

Seeing Mike and El interact with Levi was so...sweet. It could make Hopper feel emotional sometimes.

-'Alright alright kids, you go on your date and handsome boy and I will watch some movies', -'And you're gonna change his diaper and feed him, right?', El grabbed her purse and approached her dad, -'Will is the diaper man', -'I AM' he answered from his room, -'Okay, then you're the food source!', -'That I am...we'll be okay. Enjoy your movie and dinner, kids. Hey, lamp post, watch the road okay?', Mike scoffed, -'Stop calling me lamp post!', -'Stop growing then'.

END OF FLASHBACK