As I've said previously, this story was written a while back but wasn't finished. We were always going to go back and add stuff in. Having to do it alone has turned out to be harder than I'd anticipated. This chapter, along with the two previous ones I've posted, were all created solely by me and I can only hope I'm not ruining the story. Fitting new stuff with finished pieces is tricky.


The following days were a whirlwind for everyone. Mike tore himself away from El just in time to not be seen by Hopper and went straight to Will's house where upon questioning Will he found out about the entire conversation between Joyce Byers and Chief Hopper, how angry Joyce had been over the situation, and how Hopper had conceded to change the way he and El had been living since the winter of 1983.

And two days later, Mike found himself with his friends sitting around Will's living room, waiting for something only he and Will knew about. He was beyond anxious.

"Hey," Dustin asked, "where's Max?"

Lucas scoffed.

"Shit. I forgot to tell her. She's being weird anyway. Man, why are girls so moody all the time?"

Mike heard him but he couldn't bring himself to worry about the comment. The moment was interrupted by the sounds of tires on the gravel and a minute later, Eleven walked through the door.

The boys were stunned. The person in front of them was no longer a small, shy girl with a buzz cut. This was a grown woman, though still on the small side. Her hair had grown to a bit past her shoulders and she walked with a grace and dignity they'd not seen before.

"Holy shit," Dustin uttered.

Mike and Will had known what was going to happen but still found the situation surprising.

"Eleven," Mike breathed, pulling her into his arms. He held her for what seemed like eternity, as If letting go might make it all become a dream that would fade.

"Mike," El said, knowing already that he was feeling like she'd disappear. She kissed him. "This is real," she whispered. She smiled at him and he relaxed his grip a bit.

Of course the questions came at an alarming rate. Lucas and Dustin talked over one another so much that Hopper had to step in.

"Enough!" Hopper bellowed. "Okay, she's been with me. I had my reasons. Point is, I'm letting her have a real life. I think it's safe. But you guys," he looked at the boys, "you need to know that if anyone asks, she's my niece and don't give any information that isn't absolutely necessary." Hopper sighed and headed into the kitchen.

El finally met Will. As it turned out, they got along really well. Will watched the same soap opera that El loved and they bonded over that. She found that Dustin and Lucas, while both taller, were basically the same as when she'd known them in the past. She noted that Max was not in attendance but she didn't dwell on it, not being ready yet to face that situation head on.

In fact, for almost two weeks after being reunited with her friends, El still hadn't met Max. The boys took her for ice cream, they went to a movie together, Mike drove the five of them around town and they'd stop any time they saw something they wanted to share with El. They visited the quarry, which sparked strong memories for El and once again they all hugged. But still, no Max.

After some rather strong gentle nagging from Joyce, Hopper relented and moved into a small house near the Byers'. She'd combed the entire town of Hawkins, pouring over newspaper listings before heading out in her car to see for herself. Hopper couldn't say no, especially when Joyce pointed out how close they'd be to her and how she could help keep an eye on El when Hopper was at work. El had watched the back and forth intently, hoping with everything she had that Hopper would say yes. He finally agreed. El was going to get to live in a real house and have a real bedroom.

El had been living in her new house for only a day when she finally met Max. She had gone into town with Mike and Dustin to find a bath mat she liked when they ran into the redhead while walking along the sidewalk.

"Hey! There's Max!" Dustin called, waving to his friend with a silly smile on his face.

El tensed, gripping Mike's hand tighter, but she knew she was going to have to meet Max eventually. Besides, she still felt hopeful about being friends someday.

Dustin tugged Mike's sleeve, pulling him along and crossing the street to talk to Max. Mike knew it would happen sooner or later. He just hoped it would go smoothly.

"Hey, Max! This is El! She's back!" Dustin said excitedly.

Max and El regarded each other. While Dustin might be oblivious, Mike could certainly tell that there was friction.

"Um, hi," El said, surprised herself at how meek she sounded. Max was much prettier in real life than in the void.

Max hadn't expected what was happening. Lucas had finally mentioned to her that El was back but it hadn't seemed real to Max until the girl was standing in front of her. El was supposed to be dead. Nothing was supposed to end her thing with Mike unless she wanted it to and now clearly everything was going to change. There was no way it couldn't. Her mouth was suddenly dry and she felt panicky. And this girl…she'd seen her somewhere before. Max couldn't place her though. Her annoyance kicked in, shielding her from her grief.

"Oh? Hey. I guess the stories really are true then. Just like a comic book. An orphan, super powers, and then back from the dead. What color is your cape?" Max tried to make her words sound regular but even she could hear her venomous tone. She was a little embarrassed by it but she couldn't let it show.

El frowned.

"I don't need a cape," El said quietly.

Max scoffed. She couldn't help it.

"Right. You're perfect just the way you are." She rolled her eyes.

"Come on, El," Mike said as he glared at Max. "Max clearly forgot to take her don't be a bitch pill this morning."

It was a comment she'd heard many times before but somehow, hearing Mike say it now while he was defending this girl who Max felt was taking everything from her, this girl who was so effortlessly beautiful and a superhero, caused Max's heart to break.

"Nice to meet you," Max whispered and then hurried away. At the corner she looked back to see the three teens walking away from her down the sidewalk. Max wished El really was dead. She wished she hadn't gone to town that day. Mostly, Max just wished she could be El. Her life would be so much better.

El was quiet in the store, choosing the first pink bath mat she saw. She was quiet on the way home, walking with Mike after Dustin went another direction to his own house. Max had been mean to her, but she could also tell that Max had been surprised and maybe even hurt.

They found the house empty when they returned. Hopper had an afternoon shift and wouldn't be home until late that night.

Mike could see that El was upset.

"I'm sorry she was like that. She's always saying dumb things, you know?" He pulled her to the sofa and held her against him.

"Max doesn't love Lucas," El stated quietly. Mike's hand in her hair made her feel fuzzy inside. "Mike, I…I'd sometimes visit her like I visited you. You know, I'd let her see me. She thought she was dreaming. I wanted to know why she likes what she likes."

Mike tried not to picture what he was picturing. To him, seeing El in the void always led to sex, and thinking about El and Max wasn't something he should be doing. He found it to be difficult though.

"Um, did you figure it out?" He asked.

"Not really. But I know that she's afraid to break up with him because then she won't have anyone. She doesn't think you guys will still care about her. She doesn't think anyone cares about her. It makes me sad."

Mike listened as El continued.

"But then I also get sad because I think of all the things she got to do with you. You did everything with her first. It's not your fault because I was gone but I still won't ever be able to be your first anything." El buried her head in Mike's chest."

Mike felt a rush of sadness and guilt sweep over him. He only wanted to fix everything. He lifted her chin to look at him.

"You were my first kiss. And you're my first love. Fuck, my only love." As he was speaking, Mike suddenly had an idea.

"There's something I never did with Max," he smiled. "Where do you keep the towels?"

El was intrigued.

"In the bathroom. Why?"

Mike grinned.

"I want to do something to you."

They gathered a couple of towels on their way to El's bedroom. El still had no idea what was going to happen. She watched Mike spread the towels across her bed.

Mike turned to her then, lifting her sundress over her head.

"No bra?" He asked, her pert breasts coming into view as he removed the dress.

"It was a nice day and besides, I don't really need one anyway," El admitted.

Mike ignored her comment. He ran his hands over her smooth skin before he pulled her close to him. He liked holding her that way, feeling her body against his, how she fit perfectly against him, molding into him like a puzzle piece.

"Lie on the towels. Get comfortable," he said softly.

El watched Mike slip her panties down. He did it slowly, which caused her to tingle.

"Are you gonna undress too?" She asked. Mike's fingers rubbed her thighs and her lower stomach, everywhere except where she really wanted them.

"No, this is just for you."

El spread her legs more, silently inviting him to touch her where she wanted.

"Okay, I've never done this before so I hope it works, but even if it doesn't, it'll still feel good. Relax." Mike bent forward and gently licked El's moist lips.

El knew that he'd definitely done that before. She'd seen him do it. With Max. But she couldn't deny how good it felt. Even if she could have lied about it, once Mike's tongue parted her labia and dipped inside her, her body would have betrayed her. El was hopelessly turned on.

"You thought I meant this?" Mike asked. He could tell by the look on her face that she was confused. He slowly licked again. "I'm just getting you warmed up. This is not what I meant but holy fuck you taste good."

El was very confused but she let Mike do what he wanted. She was curious. She'd seen him do so much. She felt inexperienced compared to him, compared to Max, but Mike had said this was something he'd never done and the idea of being Mike's first anything was immensely appealing.

"What…what are you going to do?" El asked.

Mike gave her another teasing lick before he sat up.

"I'm gonna do this," he said. With his right hand he inserted a finger into El.

El looked down to watch. Mike was holding her knee with one hand and slowly inserting his finger into her already aching pussy. His palm was facing up towards the ceiling.

"I'm gonna try to make you squirt. It's like when I cum and you'll actually ejaculate. That's why we needed towels. You know, if I can do it." He slipped one more finger inside.

El could feel him as he moved his fingers. He wasn't jamming them in and he wasn't going very far but the feeling was amazing.

"See, when I touch here," Mike curled his finger as he found the area he'd been searching for, "does it feel different? Better?" He rubbed gently and methodically, not stopping. He could see her outer lips starting to become more swollen.

"Y-yes." El was panting already. Watching Mike fingering her, watching his face, how he'd said it was just for her, was tremendously exciting. Feeling his fingers inside her, how gentle he was being and yet still making her feel things she'd never felt, made El feel warm all over.

"Some time when we do this," Mike was saying as he massaged her delicate G spot, "you can rub your clit while my fingers are inside you. That would be hot to watch. But today," Mike moved his hand from her knee and touched El's sensitive little button, "I'm gonna do it for you. You don't have to do anything."

The feeling was becoming more intense. El had obviously had orgasms before but this felt like it was leading to something even stronger. Mike didn't stop his movements but he'd changed which fingers he was using, opting to use his middle and ring fingers. They were inserted wholly inside her but still curled. He was touching an area that was making El's toes curl. He'd moved to his knees so he'd have more leverage and could use his forearm.

"If I do it like this," Mike explained as he pumped his forearm. "My hand won't get as tired. I can do this for as long as you want." He could feel the sensitive area inside. He could keep his fingers curled up and touching where he wanted and just use his arm to provide any pressure he needed.

"And inside, I'm doing this," with his free hand Mike demonstrated. "Like, if I was saying come here." Mike made the come hither motion with his finger.

El was moaning. She could feel something building up.

"M-Mike…"

Mike stopped showing her what his finger inside her was doing and began to rub her clit. El was dripping onto the towels, she was so aroused that her natural lubricant was running down her lips and across her asshole.

"Don't…please don't st-stop," El begged. "I'm gonna cum soon. Touch me. Mike, I'm so cl-close."

"I won't stop. I'm not gonna stop even while you're cumming. I'm not gonna stop even after you cum. You're gonna have to make me." He increased his pace. He could feel her vaginal walls starting to occasionally throb against his fingers. Mike bent forward again, his head hovering just above where his fingers were massaging inside El.

"Wanna lick you while you cum. Cool?" He didn't wait for her reply. He could tell from the noises she was making that El was up for anything. He swirled his tongue over her clit and then used only his lips to gently suck on it.

"Oh, your lip. I l-like that. You're…fuck…li-licking my p-pussy. Mike, I'm gonna... Don't…please… Gonna… Cumming, Mike!" The intensity of her orgasm was shocking. El felt her entire body rippling, pulsing warm heat that radiated from her core.

Mike didn't stop touching her inside. Even as he felt her clench, as he felt her walls shaking and gripping his fingers, he continued to massage her special spot.

El was still cumming but she suddenly felt a strange sensation.

"Mike, I think I need to pee," she said, still breathing heavily and feeling her body shaking.

Mike didn't stop. Instead he went back to licking her clit.

El felt it then. It was a warm, wet sensation that to her felt like a wet orgasm. She didn't know if she was peeing or still cumming or what was happening but she felt embarrassed that Mike was between her legs while it was happening.

It was what Mike had been seeking all along. When El started squirting he felt it hit his chin. He could taste her in his mouth. He would have put his entire mouth over her squirting hole but he wanted to see it too. He leaned back on his knees to watch. A watery substance was shooting from El's pussy, a clear liquid, and Mike watched it gush out. His fingers were still inside, still manipulating her as she gushed.

"Fuuuck, that's what I wanted. That's so goddamned hot," he whispered. Finally El stopped and Mike gently removed his fingers. He massaged her outer lips until she started to giggle.

"I didn't pee?" El asked.

"No, that was exactly what I wanted to happen. That was amazing. Did it feel good?" Mike moved up next to her. He was still clothed and El was naked and he liked holding her just after he'd made her climax so hard.

"I'm still shaking. I can still feel it. That was…wow."

Lying naked against Mike made El feel soft. She knew he'd do anything for her. She wasn't sure if it was because she'd just cum so hard that maybe her mind was literally blown or if it was because she was just nice, but at that moment El thought of Max being sad and she wanted to try to help.

"Mike?" El said quietly. Mike was lazily drawing circles on her bare back with his finger. "I think…I think I feel bad for Max. I think if she needs like…what do they call it when something is over and you need to know it's over?"

"You mean closure?"

"Yeah. Closure. I think if Max needs closure you should give her that. Even if…even if it means you, um, do it with her one more time."

Mike couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You don't mean that."

"But I do. I've seen you with her lots of times. I've seen her cry by herself. I've watched her parents be mean to her. I think being with you was like…special. Even if it was weird. So I could handle one more time if it meant that everything would be okay. I just don't want anyone to suffer. Feeling all alone is a bad feeling."

"How are you so like…?" Mike asked, stunned.

"Like what?"

"Like how you are? How can you care so much about someone you don't even know?" Mike snuggled into her with utter disbelief at how huge El's heart was despite everything she'd been through and everything she witnessed.

"I don't know. I guess I learned it a long time ago from a boy who found me in the rain."


A few days later, El was hanging out at Will's house with the boys while Hopper was working. Lucas and Dustin were playing video games in the floor, laughing and pushing each other when one of them was winning.

"Hey, we should have a sleepover in Mike's basement!" Dustin said excitedly. "It'll be way better than when we were little because we won't be scared and El's so much better at talking now." He smiled sincerely.

"Dustin, man," Mike started.

"No, he's right. I am better at talking now," El laughed. She'd envisioned being with her friends again but the actuality of it was better than she'd ever dreamed. Then she frowned. "But um, do you think he'll let me?"

A confident smile erupted across Will's face.

"Don't worry. My mom will make it happen. She can make the Chief do anything."

"I'll let Max know," Lucas said. "She's been so pissy lately. She's always mad. I mean, she's always mad but this is like, different. She's kinda getting on my nerves."

El bit her lip and looked at Mike. She wanted to try to be friends but her introduction to Max had been less than stellar. There had definitely been a sense of jealously coming from both of them. El could feel Max's stare burning through the back of her head as they'd walked away and even though she'd wanted to be nice, El could be just as cold. She didn't know what it would be like to have a sleepover with Max included.

Mike could see that El looked worried. He leaned close to whisper to her.

"It'll be okay. I promise." His fingers touched El's and their hands interlocked.

It was decided that they'd have the sleepover the upcoming weekend. El still hadn't been back to Mike's house yet. She hadn't been there since her visits in the void. Luckily, Nancy hadn't yet left for school and Mike promised El that his sister would help his parents understand everything.

While the boys and El were excited to be back together, on the other side of town, Max was feeling very left out. She hadn't known El was alive and back for almost two weeks after her return. It was as though everyone forgot about her. She felt angry, and sad, and mostly unwanted. But she also didn't want to be part of anything that El was a part of.

So when Lucas called her to tell her about the sleepover, Max declined.

"What do you mean? You don't want to come?" Lucas asked over the phone.

"I mean I don't really want to come. Mike hates me anyway." She grimaced as she said it. It felt so true.

"Oh come on. You're being dramatic. We're all gonna be there and El is back so you should come. She's so cool. I know you'll like her."

Max could feel her eyes rolling.

"Why didn't we ever have a sleepover in Mike's basement before? It's like she's fucking royalty," Max could feel her voice shaking. "Why would I want to come watch all of you trying to make her laugh and kissing her ass? I can think of lots of other ways to spend my Saturday night." Max tried to breathe, not wanting Lucas to know how very close she was to crying.

"God, Max, why are you such a bit-," Lucas stopped himself, but he knew it was a good as said.

Max steadied herself. She could cry later.

"Because that's all I'm good at apparently." Max hung up the phone. She could already feel the tears as they streamed down her cheeks. They'd left her out for weeks. Mike didn't care. Even Lucas took El's side in the strange unspoken rivalry. Max had never felt so alone.

El was very excited to be going to her first real sleepover. She was excited to be back in Mike's house. In Mike's basement. As promised, Nancy Wheeler had invented an origin story for El that was believable to their parents.

Mike wanted to show El his bedroom so while they were upstairs Nancy remembered that she had a few things that might fit El and she went to her room to retrieve them. She had just entered her room when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Mike, I think the others are here. Hey, I'm gonna borrow El for a minute. I have some things she might want," Nancy called to them from across the hall. She could hear Mike sigh from her room.

"We'll be in the basement. We'll wait on you before we order pizza." Mike left El with Nancy and went downstairs to greet his friends.

When El entered Nancy's bedroom she was greeted with a flood of memories. She remembered exploring Mike's house while he was at school. El remembered everything.

Nancy seemed to notice. She tried to make El feel at ease.

"Hey, we definitely don't have to talk about this, but if you ever have any questions, about anything, you can always ask me. Is there anything you want to know?"

El actually felt relieved to have the chance. She did have a few questions and while Will's mom was nice, El wasn't ready to talk about some things with her.

"Um, Mike said something about protection. Like for…sex. What um, what do you use?"

Nancy was not fazed. She knew El had a tendency to just say what was on her mind.

"Okay, well, there are condoms. They're like rubber things that go on the penis so nothing gets inside the girl. They don't always work, they can break, and they suck. I use birth control pills. You have to get them from a doctor."

El cringed at the idea of telling Hopper that she wanted to go to the doctor so she could get pills so she could have sex without worrying.

"There's some less effective protection ways too. I mean, depending on when you ovulate, you could get pregnant at any time. But basically you want to be careful like two weeks after the start of your period." Nancy laughed. "I'm sure this is the most exciting conversation ever!"

El laughed too.

"So if the last one started on the 1st, do you think I'd be safe tonight?"

Nancy was shocked by El's question, but she couldn't help feeling proud.

"With all of your friends sleeping? Aren't you the little badass?" Nancy chuckled. "Well you're cutting it close but it hasn't been two weeks yet. Still have a few days." Nancy was thoughtful. She crossed to her nightstand. "I have to leave for school but I'm coming home next weekend. I get these three months at a time and I just got them filled so here, take this and start in the morning. You have to take one every day. When I come home I'll take you to get your own but this will get you started. But El, they take a month to kick in so you and Mike will have to be very careful. Just pay attention to the calendar."

El looked down at the package of tiny pills in her hand. It seemed easy enough to take one a day. The days were even listed.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything."

"He's different now that you're back. He's happy now. Mike was…so dark for a long time. There's still a box of Eggos in the freezer. He wouldn't let anyone finish the box and he won't let our mom throw them away. Because it's your box of Eggos." Nancy rummaged in her dresser drawers.

El was touched at the idea that Mike had kept the Eggos.

Nancy found the sweaters she was searching for.

"It'll be getting cooler soon and I thought you might like to have these. It's okay if you don't, I just thought I'd check with you first before I donated them."

"No, I do want them. They're really nice. Thanks, Nancy." El took the three sweaters, holding them against her cheek and feeling how soft they were.

"I'll tell you something else. About a year and a half ago I was in Mike's room putting some books on his desk and I noticed something under his bed. Here, I'll just show you." Nancy beckoned for El to follow her and they quietly tiptoed into Mike's room. Nancy reached under the bed.

"He made this. Taught himself enough about sewing to put it together. He doesn't know I know about it."

El's fingers trembled as she reached for what Nancy was holding. It was a pillow, but what was causing El to shake was that it was made from clothing. The front was the logo on the yellow Benny's Burgers shirt she'd been wearing when Mike found her. The back of the pillow was navy blue and gray. El knew Mike had made it from the first clothes she'd ever worn that had belonged to him.

"He sleeps with it. He really missed you, El." Nancy said. "Why don't you go see him now? I know you both want that."

When El got to the basement she stored her new sweaters and her new birth control pills in her bag. Immediately she noticed that her fort was still there, just like it had been in the void.

"Hey, El, do you want pepperoni or sausage or what?" Dustin asked. He was holding the telephone in his hand.

"Either is fine," she answered.

"Fuck it, I'm getting both. And a cheese," Dustin said to no one in particular before he dialed the phone.

They ate pizza and told stories about growing up. At one point Lucas dashed back to his house to find a photo album and they looked back through the years together. With Mike's mom's photos combined with Lucas', they pretty much had every major life moment documented. El felt happy.

But Max never showed up.

"Where's Max, Lucas?" El finally asked. She'd been debating on whether she should even bring it up.

"She didn't feel like coming. I don't know what her problem is lately. I know she's dancing on my last nerve though!" He laughed, but El didn't think it was funny.

They watched The Monster Squad, followed by Hellraiser and after El commented that Pinhead was going to give her nightmares, partially joking because she knew what she'd seen in real life, Will suggested they watch Throw Momma From the Train for a little comic relief. Dustin and Lucas had cleared the floor for their sleeping bags and the three boys settled into their bags in front of the television while Mike and El sat together on the sofa.

Once they finished the movies and finished laughing, finished joking with each other, Lucas announced that he was going to sleep and that everyone needed to be quiet. Will agreed and even though Dustin wanted to stay up, he was snoring in a matter of minutes.

Mike and El crept to her fort.

"They might hear," Mike whispered.

"I don't care. But we can be really quiet. It can be a secret." Already she was climbing onto him. Mike couldn't see much but he could feel and he felt her push his pajama pants down. Her bare skin touched him, feeling hot on his stiffening dick. The fact that she hadn't been wearing panties the entire time they were watching movies caused him to become even harder. Mike reached under her nightgown to feel her.

"No talking then," he murmured lowly. "Just feeling." El was already making his cock wet with her own arousal. Then he felt her warmth envelop him. He kissed her deeply to keep from making too much noise as he felt her. His hands held on to her ass, gripping firmly as he helped her move over him. When he'd push her down a little harder, so that he was all the way inside, El would grind on him and roll her hips. The idea that their friends were merely feet away from them excited both of them more.

It was frenzied, perhaps the chance of being caught made it better, or perhaps they both felt that they needed it so much, but it didn't take long for either of them there in the fort. Mike was leaned back against a stack of pillows, not flat on his back but also not sitting all the way up. El was sitting on him, his cock stuffed into her wet pussy, grinding and rocking as he held her hips and moved her in small circles. Their combined body heat made their hair stick to their faces.

El leaned forward to Mike's ear. Her rate did not decrease.

"I'm gonna cum," she whispered before licking his ear.

Mike gripped her ass harder and pushed her down onto his cock all the way. He felt her fingernails dig into his shoulders and her lips on his neck. Then the pulsation started inside her and Mike felt her come undone right there in the blanket fort in his basement. El bit his shoulder to keep from screaming his name and when Mike felt her teeth on him, he came too.

A few minutes later, as they held each other smiling, they heard a voice.

"You guys are loud even when you're being quiet," Dustin said. "I think trying to be quiet made it louder."

The whole room laughed. None of them had been able to sleep through what Mike and El were doing.

"We'll try harder next time," Mike offered.

"Oh God, don't try harder. You'll wake the dead." More laughter.

"Goodnight, guys," El said from the fort, feeling a bit embarrassed and wanting to escape into sleep.

"'Night, El," they all three replied. "We're happy you're here."

El snuggled into Mike and felt happy herself. She was back in the same place and with the same people who made her feel the safest.

A/N: Chapter 17 is another one that was already done. I'll post it soon. Then 18 I'll have to write but I think that will be a fun one. Epic Rap Battles of History: Eleven vs. MadMax! (No actual rapping)