A/N: I know. This update is late. I want to reassure everyone who's still following me or my fics that any not yet flagged as completed will be updated, and eventually finished. I know there a a few of them :) . Also, I have new ideas I want to start, so I'll be adding to number of open fics I have going. I usually have to be in a different mood for a particular story, so that's why I bounce around :)

There are LOT more chapters coming for this story.

Thanks for sticking around.

Then There is No Pixie, Then There Is

Eleven's management has been very quiet about the fan obsessed rumour on the fourth album. The band has been unreachable, so RMM thinks they may be hiding in a studio in secret recording sessions

- Rock Music Magazine

Eleven could not believe she'd just offered Mike her body. What was she thinking? She ran a good chance of being disappointed in one of at least two ways.

The first disappointment is that Mike could have rejected her outright and then she would have been ashamed and embarrassed she'd even said it. She didn't think that was a possibility, because he had shown interest in her. When she had kissed him in the studio, he had kissed her back… and it had been good.

The second disappointment and by far the worst one, is that Mike could have seen that as an opportunity to get lucky right away. She didn't know what she'd do if he had done that. It meant she had misjudged a guy she really liked… more than liked. It would have meant he was just a typical guy who couldn't keep it in in pants.

Instead he just look surprised she'd said that and she was able to cover up with a nervous giggle and he kept silent on the subject. She made a lame comment but then more seriously she told him she would give up everything for him.

She told him she'd give up everything because she knew Mike would not let her do that. Not because of the thrill he might have had at producing a recording session, she was sure it was because he believed in her music.

As soon as he started to tear his sleeve, she understood what he was going to do. She wasn't quite ready for him to see the tattoo, but she thought she covered ok. Mike didn't make a big deal out of it.

She had to bite her lower lip to keep from tearing up. It seemed like she was always crying around him.

When he finished she reached up and put her arms around his neck. She made a promise to him she fully intended to keep.

Snuggling with Mike had been comforting in a way she'd never felt before.

She was starting to think she might just be completely in love with Mike Wheeler. He'd seen her worst and he was still with her.

Eleven had gotten up a bit earlier. She left Mike sleeping, she wanted to kiss him till he stopped his soft snoring, but she didn't want to wake him.

She ended up joining the others in the makeshift studio they had on the bus. They were discussing how they were going to tour without a guitar player.

"That's easy," Max said. "We can't."

Lucas chimed in, "It's going to take weeks to find someone our age who can play Mike's parts. You guys weren't really watching him play."

"Tell me about it," Max said. "I was trying to follow what he was doing on the B3, and I'm not sure my fingers were fast enough."

"You were fine," Lucas said.

Max smiled at him. Eleven caught the look between the two of them, and she was positive she saw something was up. Something good for sure.

"Mike said something about trying to duplicate Robin Trower's sound, from some song I can't remember the name of."

"I'll have to look him up," Lucas said, "he seems to know a lot different music types then we run into. That's the nature of you guys being pop stars. You aren't getting exposed to enough different types of music. Most pop stars aren't."

Eleven couldn't believe how easily Mike was convinced to join the band. Especially considering how she had treated him in the studio. When he had taken over the session and changed the arrangements that her and Max had worked so hard on, she was impressed. Not only did he know the sound he wanted, but he knew exactly how to get there.

She was thrilled that Mike had thought enough of their music to want to contribute, but she was even more thrilled that she had a boyfriend. It was something that she never thought possible.

The bus stopped in front of her house house.

She warned Mike about Holly heading for him like a freight train.

"Mikey!"

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the look he had for his little sister. She fought back tears again.

Holly screeched over his shoulder. "Eleven!"

Mike put her down and Holly ran to her,"hey sweetie!" They gave each other a tight hug.

Holly whispered to her. "Is Mikey your boyfriend yet?"

"Yes."

Eleven couldn't hold back the one tear that dropped freely from her eye.

She told him how lucky felt.

"It's me that's lucky Eleven. Ok, now I have to go hug Holly again… you'll be over later?"

"No, you are coming over here to meet my dad."

Later, Eleven sat on her doorstep and waited for Mike so she could walk in with him. It would be less intimidating for him that way.

She smiled for his entire walk to her front door, he held out his hands to pull her up from where she sat. He gave her a quick kiss, but he didn't look very comfortable doing it.

"Nervous?"

"Meeting your girlfriend's dad is a built in fear all guys are born with. But...", he looked into her eyes, "I know the way I feel about you, and I hope that comes across to him."

She led Mike into her house, hand in hand.

"Mike, I want you to met my dad, Chief Jim Hopper."

"Dad, this is the band's new guitar player…

"Yeah, I see that." He said looking at their hands.

"...and my extremely handsome boyfriend."

Her comment got the reaction she wanted from both of the men in her life. They flushed and tried not to look at each other.

She already knew what her dad's next two questions were going to be, "does he know?"

"No, dad."

Mike looked confused.

"Is he ever going to know?"

"I don't know. But he is the third person who can call me Eleven."

Hopper's eyebrows raised, "oh? Who's the second?"

"His little sister Holly."

"So Wheeler, want me to hit you with the hard questions first or last?"

"First." Eleven watched Mike sigh and prepare himself.

"Eleven, you want to be here for this?"

"Yes dad, I'm his support… and he's mine now."

"So, Eleven is in one of the most popular pop bands, not Jim Croce, but I'm stuck with her." He have her a goofy smile.

"She's rich, she's famous, what is it you want out of…" here he hesitated a little, "...this relationship."

"I want it to last forever, Mr. Hopper." Mike looked her dad in the eye.

"You say that now, but you need to work with her in the studio before you say anything like that.

"We already have, we got through it. That's kind of when I knew."

"Eleven, if you guys plan on being together… a long time… you need to tell him."

Her dad looked back at Mike square in the eye, "you treat her right… are we clear?"

"I'll treat her like I would treat my little sister."

Eleven's free hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes welled up and she squeezed his hand. She looked at Mike and said, "thank you Mike."

Eleven walked back with him to his basement afterwards. They held hands but she was quiet on the walk over. "Mike, I hate to do this to you."

She explained to him that she would be away. She didn't want to tell them that her meeting schedule, flights, and hotels in Japan had been booked months ago. It was too late to add him now, and she didn't want to make him feel left out.

She went for the soft approach, hoping it would be ok with him. She also let him know that she was still with him. She didn't ever see that changing.

Getting to rehearse with Mike in the band now would be fun, at least she would try to make it fun. There was a lot less on the line now.

"You didn't have to come here to tell me that, Eleven. You could have told me that in front of your dad."

"I know. There are no secrets between my dad and I. That's something you'll have to get used to. No compromises there. Ok? He also knows why I came here with you."

"Ok Eleven… um, why did you come back here."

"I came here to neck with my boyfriend for a couple of hours. I mean, we could play some music together too, you know, if you get tired of kissing me."

Once she had laid down the rules for touching, ones she was perfectly ok with, they sat down on the sofa to make out.

Eleven was barely able to control herself. She had to fight her desire to keep her hands from from taking them to the next level.

She had to leave early enough to be able to catch a plane, but she wanted to leave Mike with a kiss to keep him going.

What she didn't expect was the kiss she got back from Mike. He was letting her know what was waiting for her when she got back.

Eleven wasn't happy about being on a plane for 13 hours without Mike. She wasn't happy about being without Mike at all.

"Max," she sat between Max and Lucas. Bodyguards had the seats all around them.

"How many time zones do we cross?"

"Fifteen I think. So we are heading west, we'll be there two hours before we left. Almost like time travelers."

"I've decided I don't like flying. What worse is that I know I have to get used to it. I don't want to live on a plane."

I want to live with Mike, she thought to herself.

When they landed she was already missing Mike. This was going to feel a lot longer than the two weeks they had planned to stay. She couldn't believe the crowd of people, of all ages, waiting for them at the airport in Tokyo. The bodyguards were careful, but firm getting them to the limousines.

XXXXX

RMM followed the band Eleven on their trip to Japan hoping to get a photo-op and an interview. The results of our trip will be in the next issue.

- Rock Music Magazine

The first day without Mike, was bad. She stopped herself from reverting to her recording studio personality a few times with Max and Lucas.

The second day without Mike and she was hurting. She didn't think she could miss anyone as much as she was missing him. She kept herself busy being a type A in meetings with Japanese record company executives.

The third day without Mike, and she was wandering around her hotel room waiting for the next magazine interview. Pop Music Magazine's sister publication, Rock Music Magazine, was now interested in the band, with the release of their latest single Make War Not War. She felt lost without Mike. She'd made up her mind to tell him that she had much stronger feelings for him.

The fourth day without Mike, she couldn't get out of bed. She had cried herself to sleep, and didn't have the will to get up and get dressed.

Max had the spare key and walked in on her in the middle of a crying jag.

"You miss him that much?" Max sat on the bed with Eleven and put her arm around her.

"I've never been more miserable. I just want to go home." She knew her face was a mess, but she didn't care.

There was a knock on the hotel room door and Max got up to let Lucas in.

Lucas looked like he didn't have good news, and Eleven started to wonder if maybe their whole trip had fallen apart at the meetings she wasn't involved in.

"Um, El? Mike got some really bad news this morning. He's in pretty bad shape."

"What happened?" She suddenly felt panicked. She need to be with Mike now.

"His best friend was killed in an accident, at least they are calling it an accident at this point."

"I need to see him. Right away."

"Your obligation here has already been fulfilled. Arrangements have already been made. Max and I can take care of the band and tour details."

"Thanks Lucas."

"Don't thank me. Record company guy overheard me on the phone with Nancy. I assume you gave her the hotel number for emergencies. Anyway they are really bending over backwards for us, they want us to tour Japan. They fast tracked the album printing and everything."

Eleven packed quickly and ran down to the side entrance of of the hotel.

A chauffeur was waiting with an open door, and she ran into it, followed by two bodyguards

Fans had not been expecting anyone to leave yet, so were few in number. There were none at the airport at all. She was grateful because she would have stayed hours signing autographs but she really wanted to get going.

A tiny Japanese women was waiting for her at the Lear jet's stairs.

"Koko ni anata no tame ni sonzai shite imasu."

Eleven took the package from her. "Doumo arigatou gozaimasu." Eleven returned, hoping she was at least half way close to pronouncing her thank you right.

She breathed a sigh of relief when the plane was finally in the air.

RMM has tried to follow Eleven band members throughout their trip in Tokyo, but somehow how we lost track of El Hopper. She seemed to have disappeared one day and RMM can only speculate her whereabouts. We know that Mike Wheeler was not with them for the trip so we suspect she went back to be with him, once again fueling the rumours that they are a couple.

- Rock Music Magazine

XXXXX

It was close to midnight, when she made her way to Mike's basement door. All the lights were out in the house but she followed Nancy's instructions and knocked very lightly on the door. Nancy opened it almost instantly.

"How is he?" Eleven said trying not to start crying as soon as she stepped inside.

Nancy's own eyes were red-rimmed. "It's bad… it's really bad. I'm afraid for him." Eleven gave her a comforting hug.

"Nancy, I'm going to stay with him tonight. Nothing is going to happen. But I am staying with him tonight.

Nancy nodded, "just lock the bedroom door, I'll cover for you."

They silently made their way upstairs, and Eleven gave Nancy a quick hug. "Thank you Nancy. You have know idea what this means to me."

"I think I do El."

Eleven was in Mike's room and had the door locked in one a smooth motion. She could hear Mike crying in his sleep. She hemmed and hawed to herself for a split second before making her decision.

She got dressed for bed, and slipped under the covers with Mike.

He stirred, "Eleven? What are you doing here? I don't understand."

"My boyfriend was in pain. He needed me. Nothing was going to stop me from coming back." She held Mike's head to her neck and immediately felt his hot tears on her neck.

"Thanks Eleven," his arms slipped around her waist. "Are you in pajamas?"

"I am Mike, I'm sleeping with you tonight, not that sleeping…"

"I know what you mean, I would never take advantage."

"I know, that's what makes you the perfect boyfriend."

"Eleven, I… I…" He sounded worried, conflicted.

"What is it Mike?"

"I don't want to scare you away..."

"Scare me away? There is nothing you can say that will scare me away Mike." She pulled hugged him tighter to her neck.

"I love you Eleven."

She squeezed her eyes shut. He breath hitched and she cried into Mike's shaggy hair.

"I love you too, Mike. So much it hurts."