Just wanted to start off by saying THANK YOU to everyone that is being so supportive of this! I'm having so much fun developing the story and have a lot of high expectations for the future. I read every review and they literally make my day. Also, anything in a foreign language will have a translation at the bottom. Just a heads up ;)

0

0

0

After checking in with Mike and El, Nancy returned to her and Jonathan's room. She closed the door firmly behind her, then slammed the back of her head against it. She didn't move from that spot, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to calm herself down.

Jonathan came out of the bathroom, then halted when he saw Nancy frozen against the door, her mouth pursed in a line.

"You OK, Nance?" he asked hesitantly, approaching her.

She sniffed. "No," she said, her voice on the verge of breaking. "I'm not OK. All I wanted was to have a normal weekend alone with you. And then my brother tagged along and then Murray tagged along and now it looks like even the damn Russians have tagged along." A tear spilled from her eye. "Don't we deserve to be regular teenagers for once?" she asked. "This isn't fair."

"I know," Jonathan said, coming over to her and pressing his forehead against hers. "I know it's not. But look, it is what it is. Yeah, we're going to get in trouble with our parents. Absolutely. But at least my mom and Will are going to be safe."

Nancy nodded. "And hopefully we'll make it back to Hawkins before anything terrible happens."

"I won't let anything terrible happen to you," Jonathan promised, pulling Nancy into his arms. He reached up and stroked her hair, letting her lean against him. Even when his shoulder started becoming wet with her tears, he didn't let go. He couldn't help but feel grateful in that moment, though his world was falling apart for the fourth time in two years.

At last, Nancy let out a shaking, shuddering sigh. She stepped away from Jonathan and offered him a small smile. "Isn't this great?" she asked, wiping furiously at her face. "It's just like old times. We're in mortal danger and have no way of knowing what's about to happen next."

Jonathan tilted his head, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Well," he said, "do we ever really know what's going to happen next?" He inched closer to her. "For instance, you don't know that I'm about to do this."

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. For a moment, she stayed still, unsure of how to react.

On the one hand, she was probably being tracked by a fleet of elite Russian spies, sent to capture her and torture everyone she loved.

On the other hand, she hadn't seen Jonathan in a month.

Finally, she reciprocated the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt him smile under her lips, and she couldn't help but smile back. In that moment, it was as if she were touching him for the first time all over again. Their kisses became more passionate, more longing. Nancy traced her thumb along Jonathan's cheekbone.

Slowly, they made their way back towards the bed, refusing to let go of each other. They sank down on top of the covers, engulfing themselves in the fire that linked them together. Somewhere between kisses, Nancy reached over and turned out the lamp next to the bed.

0

0

0

"I don't even want to think about what's going on over there," Mike announced, grimacing at the wall. He walked over to the desk on the far side of the room and started looking through the drawers, sipping a plastic bottle of water he'd brought from home.

"What are you doing?" El asked, peering over at him from her bed.

Mike slammed one of the drawers shut. "I'm looking for hidden cameras," he told her. "Just in case the Russians have this room tapped. I'm not planning on getting kidnapped any time soon."

"Oh," El said softly. She looked down at the ground, unsure of what to say next. Then she looked up and tilted her head towards the wall separating their room and the older kids'. "What are they doing?"

Mike made a choked sound, then spit out the bit of water that was in his mouth. "Uh...you know. Gross teenager stuff."

"Like kissing?"

Mike's eyes widened. "Oh. Oh, you probably never even heard about...oh. Well, you wouldn't have. Brenner was a son of a bitch that didn't care about you and Hopper couldn't even give us a proper boundaries talk."

El raised an eyebrow.

"Well," Mike said, his face flourishing into a brilliant pink, "when two p-people love each other a lot-"

"Like you and me," El interupted.

If possible, Mike's blush became even darker. He stared firmly at the ground. "Well, sort of. Anyway, they, uh...they sleep together."

Judging by the confused expression that El offered him, Mike could tell she didn't get it. He sighed, kicking the base of the desk. "Forget it," he said. "Maybe Nancy can tell you in the morning."

"Ok," El decided, pulling the covers up and falling onto her pillow. "Goodnight, Mike."

"Goodnight, El," he responded, coming over and crawling into his own bed. Reaching over to the night stand that separated them, he yanked on the cord and turned out the light.

Minutes passed, yet he couldn't find himself becoming any more tired. Perhaps it was the looming threat of being kidnapped and beaten that kept him up.

El's soft voice suddenly piped up. "Mike?" she asked hesitantly. "Can we sleep together?"

If Mike had still been drinking his water, he would have spilled it all over the hotel floor. He felt his mind clamp up, unable to process or spew out anything comprehensive. "Uh...s-sure. I guess," he finally managed.

He heard the soft pattering of footsteps, then saw the vague outline of El climbing into bed with him. She pulled herself under the covers and nestled up close to Mike. "I love you," she said quietly.

Mike didn't respond, only stared at the ceiling and felt a smile spread across his face. Within a few short minutes, both he and El were fast asleep.

0

0

0

Murray was passed out in the recliner, a half empty bottle of Smirnoff in his hands. Though his face was impassive, he tossed and turned restlessly in his sleep. "Corn Dog," he murmured. "Get your...corn dog."

The door to his room burst open with a deafening thud. "Вон он, этот сукин сын," * growled the man who had kicked it down. "Хватай его!" **

Murray's head shot up immediately. "Alexei?" he asked sleepily. Then he caught a glimpse of the five angry men approaching him, guns in hand and pointed at his head.

"Oh, motherf-"

0

0

0

* "There's the son of a bitch!"

** "Get him!"

Loved writing this chapter! Nancy and Jonathan are super cute, as always. And I LOVE the misunderstanding El has with 'sleeping together'. I felt like that conversation was very on-brand for Mike and El. Thank you again for every kind word that's been said!