Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rated: T

Again, thank you to everyone who came with me on this crazy alternate universe journey. I am so happy you guys took a chance on this.

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Chapter 11

There was only a few more minutes left until the New Year. Eleven was sprawled out on their hotel bed, her bare legs dangling over the edge of the mattress as she drank Coke and watched Dick Clark on ABC.

"You know we could have stayed in Indiana and done this," she pointed out as she adjusted her dress and sat up, sitting cross-legged.

"Yeah but it wouldn't have been as fun," Mike answered from his spot on the chair near

Eleven smiled at him. "It's almost time," she said. "The New Year's almost here. Come on and kiss me."

"It isn't time yet!" Mike replied.

Eleven patted the space beside her. "Well, just come and sit with me until it's time then."

Mike sighed and got up, pretending it was a big imposition as he plopped next to her. Eleven wove her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder, humming contentedly.

The next thing he knew, Dick Clark and the rest of Time Square was counting down to the New Year.

Eleven turned to look at him in the final 10 seconds and she smiled.

"God," Mike breathed, studying the face he knew so well. "Even after all these years I've never stopped loving you, Eleven."

"I hoped you'd say that," she answered, her smile was shining brighter than all of New York when it was lit up at night as she leaned in to give him a kiss. "Happy New Year, Mike."

Mike knew whatever happened afterwards that he wanted this to last forever. He pulled her closer and held her tightly, not wanting to let the moment pass without memorizing it for when he wouldn't have it anymore.

Their time together was getting shorter, he still didn't know why he had been dropped in a life where he had stayed with Eleven and married her. What the universe had been trying to tell him. But he realized with sharper clarity than before, he regretted leaving her behind.

He wished he could really go back and change his past.

He didn't know what he was going to do without her, what he had been doing without her up until this point.

Eleven fell asleep on his chest while they were still dressed in their New Year's Eve clothes, a tangle of sheets and limbs. Mike fought off his dreams for as long as he could, wanting to savor every single moment he had left.

But sleep eventually overtook him too.

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When Mike woke up, he was all alone in his apartment in Boston.

He turned over and looked at the alarm clock by his bed, it was only 6am. He realized with a devastating twist around his chest cavity that it was actually Christmas morning and the week he had just spent with Eleven had only been in his dreams.

He buried his face in his pillow and groaned as he tried not to cry. Now that he was awake, he felt the regret of leaving her even more sharply than he had in his dreams. He missed her more than he ever had in the 5 years they had been apart.

Suddenly, he remembered the message on the machine. He hadn't erased it! He could hear her voice. . . and maybe even talk to her again, if she left anyway for him to get in touch with her.

Mike threw his covers off and practically ran to the living room. He pressed the play button on his answering machine, closing his eyes as her voice came over the speakers.

"Hello Mike, it's me. . . it's been a while." Eleven sighed. "Listen I'm in Boston. I don't know what I'm doing here except I just really wanted to see you again. I'll be at the Boston Common Park on Christmas morning if you want to see me. . . and I really hope you do. I'll be waiting. Or maybe you'll be waiting for me. I just really hope you're there."

Mike swallowed hard and replayed her message, digging his fingernails into the palm of his hand just to make sure he wasn't still dreaming.

Then he went to his room and hurriedly got changed. He was going crazy with anticipation, knowing they were in the same city

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Eleven was sitting on a park bench, her hands shoved deep in the pockets of her oversized wool coat. It was still early Mike hoped she hadn't been waiting for him long. He took a few steps towards her and then stopped, catching his breath. Most things had changed in his life but even though she hadn't been there for it.

It was like she knew he was there she smiled when he saw him and got up to meet him halfway.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi," Make answered. "It's so funny you're really here."

"Funny?" Eleven repeated. "What are you talking about?"

"I-I had this image of us, of a life we shared. We've been married for 5 years and we're still incredibly in love. We own my childhood house and I sing to you, not all the time but on special occasions." Mike sighed. "I'm a teacher at the old middle school and you're a speech therapist for abused kids. And you always support me, whether it's me wanting to go back to medical school or writing a fantasy novel. I don't know, maybe I dreamed it. Maybe I went to bed one lonely December night and imagined the whole thing. But I've seen what we could be together and I-I choose us. Please tell me it's not too late."

Eleven looked at him, mesmerized by what he was saying. She reached out and took his hand, her fingers cold from Boston's frigid temperature. She shook her head and brushed the hair away from his forehead with her free hand.

"It's not too late," she answered, dropping her hand to his cheek and caressing it gently. "I've waited for you these past 5 years and I would have waited for you longer. Because I love you Mike. I've always loved you. It'll never be too late because of that."

Mike sighed audibly he could feel relief filling him from the roots of his hair to the tips of his toes. He rested his forehead against her's and closed his eyes. She put her arms around his waist and held onto him tightly.

He was never going to let her go again.

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The End

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Author's Note:

Okay, they get married on Christmas day a year later. There's a lot of wooing and groveling and then one day, El shows up in Boston and asks him to marry her. I think that's been done before in a story. . . no copyright intended. Anyways, I hope you liked this last chapter. Tell me what you thought, if you'd like. I'll be back with "things you said" January 2017. So, stay tuned for that!

I'm wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. I'm so thankful you're in my life! See you next year.

Love,

Holly, 12/25/2016