Hey guys! Sorry the last chapter was so sad. I probably should've put a warning up, that's my bad. I know Eleven getting pregnant is something that's been asked for an mentioned frequently, so I wanted to address it at some point. I wont mention it much from here on, like it wont be a focal point, but I think I dont want Eleven to get pregnant during the course of this story. Its not something I have much experience with, and Nancy is already preggo lol sooooo yep. I have other ideas though ;) sorry again. Hope you guys still want to stick around.

Chapter 12:

Once Eleven was cleared, she and Mike went together to visit Dustin, who was finally awake. He smiled when they came in, and Lucas was sitting in the window sill with Will at his side. It felt nice to all be together again, as a whole.

"It's good to see you, Dustin," Mike said as he came into the room. He moved to the side of the bed and gave a soft pat to Dustin's arm before sitting near the other boys. Eleven stayed in the wheelchair Mike rolled her in. The wound on her thigh would heal without issue, but it made it hard for her to walk painlessly for a little while.

"Hopper came to visit," Lucas said before Dustin could answer. "He said he pulled some strings, and some federal guys are coming to help hunt down the people from the lab. They no longer work with the government, and they got too many people involved. So... we should be safe pretty soon."

"Next time they come to my house, I'll be ready. I'll learn jujitsu or something," Dustin huffed, a bit of a playful smirk on his face. His smile was contagious, and they all chuckled a bit at his remark. Dustin looked over at Eleven. "How are you?"

"Leg hurts," she told him honestly. He gave her a sympathetic look,

"I'm sorry, El."

"You should rest," Will told her. "Hopper will take care of this. You don't have to come to the rescue anymore." She nodded her response, looking down at her feet for a moment. She'd done something stupid and gotten hurt in the process. Now Mike had to take care of her. She felt bad about it.

"She's the strongest of all of us," Mike said, noticing her expression. "It's okay to come to the rescue as long as it doesn't put your life in danger. You're our X-man, our superhero." She looked up at him, her face lighting up a bit. Mike reached up to run his fingers through her hair, which was still a little short from when Jesse cut it, but honestly Mike found it a little sexy. She looked older, more mature. Like the woman she was becoming.

"Bullets are her weakness, then," Lucas joked, and Eleven laughed a bit at that. Mike was happy to see her in better spirits. She didn't typically understand the severity of things that weren't life or death, and he thanked God for that in their particular situation. "So, looks like it's Wills turn to get shot."

"What?" Will scoffed. "I'm not getting shot. If the bullet didn't kill me, mom would. She'd smack my head and say, 'I almost lost you once, don't go dying on me now,' or something like that. You know how she is. Ever since she got me back from the Upside Down."

"At least your mom knows about all of it. She understands. Our moms are still clueless," Dustin reminded him. Mike nodded. Hopper explained away a lot of things to his mom. Mostly that Brenner and his goons were lying and they were kidnappers or something of the sort. That they ran off as soon as they got their hands on Eleven but that Mike was trying to help her. It was similar to the truth, so Mike's parents bought it.

"How long before they release you?" Mike asked Dustin. He was ready to go home, and thought it would be nice to have everyone together, in one house for awhile. Until they knew they were safe, really and truly safe. "I was thinking you and Lucas could stay with me and El for awhile. Wills house is pretty full. You guys shouldn't be alone."

"Well, Lucas wants to leave."

"No, if Hopper keeps his promise, I'll stay. We'll hold up at your place until we know," Lucas told them. He was unsure about all of it. He never wanted to rush into danger if he didnt have to. Lucas had a deep down fear of death, whether it's his own or his loved one's.

"Like old times when we used to have sleepovers."

"Except Mike's sharing his bed with a girl now," Lucas teased playfully. Mike blushed a little, but Eleven just smiled. She didnt get embarrassed about those things. In fact, she just spill the details of their intimate moments if it didnt embarrass Mike.

Once home, Mike helped Eleven off of her temporary crutches and onto the bed. He put a pillow under her leg and went to turn on the little TV in the corner. It was nice to be home again, with Eleven, able to relax and wind down for the first time in awhile.

"How's your leg?"

"Okay," she told him with a slight shrug. Mike dared not bring up anything else in that moment. She was finally feeling good. He was sure the medicine the doctor sent home with them was helping with that as well. "I'm sorry I scared you."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're okay." She nodded back to him. Mike slid out of his shirt, then crawled into the bed beside her, reaching over to slide his arm under her and draw her closer, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "Let's just take it easy for awhile."

"Mike, what is married?" She asked suddenly. She had heard it mentioned with Johnathan and Nancy. Will said something about them getting married, and she didn't really understand what it meant.

"Uh. Its something two people do together when they decide they want to be together forever." It was a terrible explanation but Mike was never great at them.

"Are we married?"

"No, its a legal thing. You have to do it in a church."

"Why?"

"It's just tradition I guess. People get dressed up and say vows in a church and they sign some papers and they're married."

"But why?"

"I dont know. Its just a way to show you're really committed. You cant just stop being married. So its a way of proving you're in it for the long haul, I guess."

"Dress up," Eleven pondered. "In a pretty dress?"

"A very pretty, very expensive dress."

"I want to get married," she said, her smile growing immensely. She liked it, all that time ago, when she got to be dressed up. And she loved Mike, and she wanted to be connected to him forever. She liked the way married sounded.

"Well, Id have to get a ring."

"Why?"

"It's tradition. I wear a ring, and you wear s ring." Mike lifted her hand, grabbing the tip of her ring finger and wiggling it playfully, drawing a few giggles from her. "You wear it on this finger, and everyone knows you belong to someone."

"I'm Mike's," she said firmly, as if that was what she'd tell anyone who asked. "All Mike's. Forever." She liked the word forever, especially pertaining to Mike. Forever with Mike seemed like heaven to her. It was what she wanted.

"All mine, forever", Mike repeated. "I'll love you forever." He slid a hand up to her cheek, turning her face towards him so be could kiss her lips, softly, passionately, holding them there until they needed to breathe again. Eleven grinned.

"Ill love you forever." If she understood anything, it was her feelings for Mike. They were clear as day, and eternal. Eleven loved him. She always would. They were meant to be, and it would never change. Love, she understood through Mike. Love was what gave her life.