Chapter 7- Life and all that entails

Max takes Mike for a motorcycle ride

It had been a few days since the strange reconciliation between Mike and his father and things were now getting back to normal, except for one thing. Hopper had grown cool with Mike and El would not tell him what the issue was. Hell, sometimes El would have a coy smile when Mike brought it up.

One morning, El came over and sat with Mike as they did their homework. Nancy was down with them, mostly making sure they kept their hands off each other, when a knock came to the cellar door. Nancy got up from her chair and let Max inside. She had a smirk on her face as she entered the basement.

"So you have a bucket list?" She said, not wasting any time. Mike looked over at El who shrugged but still kept a mischievous smirk. "Yea, I had a few things I wanted to do before, well you know." Mike shrugged. Max smiled. "Well, your special lady friend told me you always wanted to drive a motorcycle," Max said, getting a response from Nancy.

"The hell he is!" Nancy said. Max just gave her a look. "He isn't actually going to drive the damn thing. I was thinking of giving him a ride to school tomorrow." Max explained. Mike had gotten excited. "You think we could go and do some jumps?" Mike asked, knowing Nancy's reaction.

"Mike, no, not only no but hell no. That's dangerous in your state." Nancy said, getting agitated, especially when everyone started laughing. "Nancy, I am not taking him through the woods. Just a simple ride to school. I grabbed an extra helmet so when I picked him up in the morning." Max said with a laugh. Nancy was red in the face. She walked upstairs, slightly upset at her over reaction. "I may need to talk to her later." Mike said.

"Yea, I thought she would take it better." El said. Max sat down on another chair next to the couple. "She might be a tad overprotective. Especially lately. Now I know how Will feels when his mom is hovering over him." Mike said. Both girls laughed. "So I'll pick you up tomorrow, hopefully before Nancy wakes up." Max said. Mike nodded and kissed El goodnight as she left with Max.

The next morning, earlier than Mike was really expecting, Max was waking Mike up. "HUWAH!" Mike exclaimed as He was shoved a little on his bed by the redhead. "I brought some breakfast. Hurry up and eat before your sister wakes up." Max said handing him some bacon sandwiches. Mike groggily took it and quickly began eating.

After a while, Mike was being helped out of the basement by Max. "You sure your up for this?" Max asked. Mike merely nodded. "I can still hold onto you as long as you don't do any crazy jumps or something." Mike said. Max nodded. "Okay, so no jumping the canyon, got it." She said with a grin that Mike shared.

Max's bike was an older model dirt bike. Not quite a Harley Davidson, but it would suffice for Mike's list. Max handed Mike a helmet and the pair mounted the bike. Max knew she needed to be careful even if Mike was at full strength. Max put the key in the ignition and reved the motor up. Max still drove off quickly, especially when they saw Nancy's light come on.

Max rode the speed limit through the suburbs, but increased her speed as she headed through town. She knew Mike was still attached by the fact she could feel him holding tightly to her waist. Max thought about doing a trick but didn't want to push having Mike behind her. Her bike wasn't exactly built for two people to begin with.

Mike was honestly having the time of his life. He used to be afraid of the idea of riding on a motorcycle, but he wondered if in a different life he would probably try and compete against Max. He had a goofy grin on his face as they passed by Benny's and did a lap around the parking lot. Soon enough, they found their way to school, where the Chief's truck was their, dropping El off. Hopper had his same stern look he had been giving Mike lately, but Mike was too thrilled to care.

Once Max stopped the bike in her parking spot, Hopper walked up, looking over the bike. "This thing street legal?" Hopper asked as Mike got off the bike. Ma shook her head. "It's barely competition legal. But man is it fun." She said with a laugh. Hopper snorted as he turned to Mike. "Wheeler. Crossing another one off?" He asked giving him a hard look. Mike was getting uncomfortable with how angry Hopper seemed to be at him but gave him a nod.

The awkward silence was broken my a station wagon speeding into the parking lot and Mike saw an angry Nancy at the wheel. "Oh shit." Mike said and got behind Hopper. Even Hopper was taken aback by Nancy's furious look as she exited the car and made a beeline for Mike.

" .HELL!" Nancy shouted at Mike as he hid behind Hopper. "Can't you do anything?" Mike asked Hopper. He shook his head. "I have to many scars from getting between a lion and her prey." Hopper said as he walked to the truck. Mike looked up and faced his sister. Her hair was messed up, she was wearing her nightshirt and sweatpants. She looked more than slightly terrifying. "Look, I know your mad…" Mike began. "I AM NOT JUST MAD! YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE ANY OF THIS!" Nancy interrupted. Mike winced as his siter shouted. "Look Nancy, everything is okay…." But he was cut off again. "YOU NEED TO STOP PUSHING YOURSELF IN YOUR CONDITION!" Nancy shouted.

Mike was now getting angry himself. "LOOK, I AM FINE. AND WILL YOU FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP TREATING ME LIKE I AM MADE OF FUCKING GLASS!" Mike shouted. Nancy dug in. "YOU ARE SICK." She shouted. Mike growled at her. "Yea, I know I'm sick. I feel it all the goddamn time. Maybe just for a few minutes I can think about something other than stuff I won't be able to do!" Mike said forcefully. Nancy began breathing to get her composure. "I just…. Mike I am barely handling all this." Nancy said. Mike nodded. "Then let's talk about it." Mike said and the siblings walked into the car, so they could have a bit of privacy.

Max walked to the truck and stood by El. "This is kind of my fault. I should have shown her what I would do." She said. El shook her head. "Nancy needs to let go of her mother hen mentality. Besides, it was my idea." El said. Max nodded as they watched the two talking in the car. Nancy was in tears while Mike was fighting his own back. She wondered what they were talking about.

Hopper looked away from the siblings in the car and faced his daughter. "Anything happens, you call me. Got it?" Hopper asked. El nodded and gave him a hug before he headed to the station.

A moment later, Mike hugged Nancy and got out of the car. He waved to her as she drove off. Mike walked to the girls, looking a little sheepish. "Yea, I think we came to a slight understanding." Mike said. El nodded antook his hand as they walked into the school. "Oh yea, Nancy now wants to get a ride on your bike." Mike said to Max who laughed at the statement.

Mike rides a horse

In all the years Mike and Lucas have known each other, Mike has always wondered how Lucas knows so much about horseback riding. Mr. Sinclair is not much of an outdoorsman and Mrs. Sinclair prefers reading at home to ranching. So a few days after the motorcycle ride, Lucas tapped on Mike's basement window one afternoon. Mike looked up from his book and saw his friend wearing a thick flannel shirt and oddly enough a cowboy hat. Being curious, Mike walked to the door and opened it to let Lucas in.

"I give up, you decided to trade your car for a horse so you can break traffic laws?" Mike asked as his friend entered. "Fuck you Mike." Lucas said with a smirk. "I am about to introduce you to the reason I know so much about horses. Get dressed." Lucas said. Mike nodded and put on as comfortable clothing as he could.

It was starting to snow, December coming around soon, so Lucas carefully drove them out to a farm just outside of Hawkins. It was a nice farm, looking even better with a slight dusting of snow. A man wearing a denim jacket and jeans walked out of a stable as Lucas drove up. He was a tall dark man, with a short beard and short hair. Lucas grinned as the man shook his head at him.

"Lucas Sinclair, I didn't think you were serious." The man said with a British accent. "Yea, I thought I would let someone know about you." Lucas said shaking the man's hand. Mike was confused. "Oh Mike, this is Harp. He owns this ranch. Harp, this is my friend Mike." Lucas said as he introduced them. "So which one are you, the nerd, the artist, or the tech geek?" Harp asked. Mike shrugged. "I guess I'm the nerd." Mike said. Harp laughed. "So why did you bring him here?" Harp asked Lucas.

"Well, Mike always wanted to ride a horse. And you are the only rancher I know who isn't a giant asshole." Lucas said. Harp looked offended. "I am so a giant asshole. You take that back." Harp said, earning a laugh from everyone. "All right. I guess we can go for a bit of a ride." Harp said bringing everyone into the stable.

There were lots of horses around, All looking very content with the warmth of the stable and the hay around them. Mike looked around and felt awkward. Despite his height, he was still very skinny and not as strong as his friends. Harp seemed to notice this and guided Mike towards a smaller mare. "I get a few tourists every once in a while. Lucas also needed to start a bit smaller when he first came around here." Harp said.

"Why did Lucas come around here?" Mike asked. "Because he never heard of a black cowboy before. His father helped me out with a small claims case and he came around to see me. This was six years ago. I think he kept it to himself because I guess he didn't want you all to give him shit." Harp said. Mike nodded, he probably would have,

Lucas had a saddle ready for the horse that he was going to ride. "Just going to do a small trail ride." Lucas said. "Don't worry about any issues."

Mike nodded as Harp helped him saddle his horse and helped him up. "Show her you're the boss, and you will make it through." Harp said Mike nodded and gently tapped the horse. The horse though, began riding faster and Mike was trying to steer the fast moving horse. Mike tried to hold onto the horse as best he could. The horse rode out of the stables and headed around the ranch. Mike tried to reign it in but it was out of control. Mike managed to steer it to a field and kept running it in circles. The horse broke from his control and jumped the fence and headed into the woods.

"God damn, I forgot she was crazy." Harp said as he and Lucas headed out on his own horse. "Look, we need to get him before he gets hurt. Mike isn't exactly healthy." Lucas said. "Yea I could tell. Now we need to catch up." Harp said as he galloped after Mike.

Mike kept hold of the horse as he got several scratches from the tree branches. "fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck." Mike said as he tried to stop the horse. They soon found themselves in a familiar part of the woods and Mike groaned as he realized he was near Hopper's cabin. "Just my god damn luck." Mike said. Mike kept trying to rear the horse but it was not listening.

Hopper was standing outside having a smoke when he heard a familiar voice cursing a storm. "My god damn day off." He said, puffing on a cigarette. He looked to see Mike on top of a horse. "I to move." He said.

"Hopper, think you can give me a hand?" Mike yelled. Hopper ran forward and grabbed the reigns. He then used his own strength to stop the horse. Mike began having ragged breathing as the Horse stopped. "We need to stop meeting like this." Mike said with a slight grin. Hopper just gave him a cold stare. "My only god damn day off and you just come in on a horse." Hopper said.

Lucas and Harp finally caught up, seeing Mike sitting on Hopper's porch. The horse tied to a tree. "Shit Mike, are you okay?" Lucas asked as he rushed to his friend. Mike just nodded. "I think you might need to re-evaluate your bucket list." Lucas said.

"God damn right he should. On my day off I have to deal with you." Hopper grumbled as he headed intot he cabin. "Hey what the hell man?" Lucas called but Hopper slammed the door shut. Lucas looked to Mike. "The hell is with him?" Lucas asked. Mike just shrugged his shoulders.

"How do you know him?" Harp asked. "He's dating his daughter." Lucas said. Harp seemed to nod. "And your bucket list, it doesn't have any interesting things to do?" Harp asked again. Mike's eyes got wide. Harp laughed. "Yea, you might need to have a talk with him. Not now. But soon." Harp said as he untied the rampant horse from the tree. Mike grimaced as he realized El told him about his bucket list.

"Shit." Was all Mike said. He was helped onto Lucas's horse and the pair rode off away from the cabin.

Mike talks to Hopper

Joyce wondered how she got into Mike's plan to speak with Hopper. Ever since the Horse Incident, Hopper would be more cold and hostile to Mike. El would try to get him to talk but Hopper is stubborn and would not speak to El about Mike. So Mike decided to ask Joyce to bring Hopper over to the Byers for dinner. Mike was hanging out with Will in his room while Joyce had Jonathan go get dinner.

Mike sat with Will, the smaller boy was helping Mike out by shaving his head. Mike's family refused to shave it for him, the thought would bring them to tears. Will wasn't doing any better as Mike's hair was coming off very easy. "You think Hopper will listen to you?" Will asked. Mike shrugged. "I shouldn't have put that on my bucket list." Mike said. "Why did you put that on their?" Will asked. Mike shrugged. "I crossed it off. El saw it and… You think El told Hopper?" Mike asked. "Well he is obviously pissed with you." Will said.

Both boys heard the door knocking and headed out to the hallway. Joyce headed to the door and let Hopper and El inside. Hopper had a sour look on his face. El was also looking upset. "I guess you are having a good time?" Joyce asked. Hopper looked around, not looking at Joyce. "Where is he?" Hopper asked. Joyce looked confused. "Wheeler's bike is outside, where is he?" Hopper growled. Mike then walked out from the hallway. "I'm here Chief." Mike said.

El walked up and hugged him. Hopper and Mike though just kept staring at each other. "We need to talk." Mike said to Hopper. Hopper just glowered. Joyce though, had enough.

"So you claim to be changed and mature but now your acting like a petulant teenager over a stupid item on a dying kids bucket list." Joyce said, staring down Hopper. Hopper took a deep breath in and turned away from Joyce. He let out a deep breath and faced Mike. El was still holding onto him. Hopper's ace softened slightly. "Okay, fine." Hopper said.

Both Mike and Hopper entered Will's room and both took seats. Mike was nervous about what he was going to say. "All right kid. I know you think I am a scumbag for treating you the way I have been." Hopper began. "El told me about your bucket list and about the one about you….ya know." Hopper said.

"I crossed it out after I wrote it down. I didn't want to take advantage of her." Mike said. Hopper nodded. "Yea, but the paranoid man in me thinks you crossed it out so she would see it anyway." Hopper said. Mike lowered his head. "I am not like Kline." Mike said bitterly. Hopper nodded. He was still bitter over her last boyfriend. "I know kid, and I guess deep down I know you are telling me the truth. It's just, I dunno how to handle the fact El is growing up and well, her being with you is setting her up for heartbreak." Hopper said.

Mike merely nodded. "Yea. Sometimes I wonder if I should just stay in the hospital and wait to die. But I don't want to hurt people more. I do love her and I can't promise I won't hurt her. Hell, I think when I go I'll hurt her. But I just want to at least feel like I lived before I go." Mike said. Hopper grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "How the hell did you become more grown up than me?" Hopper asked with a sad smile.

The pair emerged a few minutes later, both feeling better about themselves. El hugged them both, glad the animosity was over. "About damn time. I am so tired of you guys fighting." El said.

The group then sat down for dinner. It was a good night for all.

Mike has a good Christmas

Mid December was getting colder and colder in the town of Hawkins. But with that, Mike seemed to be getting weaker. El noticed far more than the others. But no one noticed more than Eric Kline. He was kept on a tight leash by his teammates. And with rumors of how he treated El, he was a social pariah now. And Eric blamed one person for all of this.

Mike was walking with El through the halls. He was leaning on her as she helped him walk around. He felt colder a lot more and his food intake was getting less. He tried to eat more but he was just not hungry. El noticed he was losing a lot of weight. El took to keeping granola bars with her to give him at least a snack.

El heard the rumble of his stomach and Mike looked embarrassed. "Look its okay Mike. I have some trail mix if you want some." She said. Mike shook his head. "I am not hungry." Mike said, a little harsher than normal. El was slightly taken aback, she heard about how Mike would occasionally have mood swings but this was the first time she saw how grumpy he was. Mike then let go of El and tried to walk on his own. He made it a few feet before he collapsed on the floor.

El ran to him to help him up but he brushed her off. "Look Mike, you need help." She whispered to him. Mike's scowl came back. "I don't need help. I am not a piece of glass. I don't need fucking smothering." Mike said lightly shoving her away. He then got up and walked away, using the walls as a crutch.

El was upset by his words. She looked around at her fellow students looking away from what happened to keep her dignity. Except for one student.

"So, trouble in paradise?" Eric asked with a smirk. El rolled her eyes at him. "He is just having a bad day. Not that its your business." El said. Kline kept his smirk. "Yea, just a bad day." He said as he walked past her.

El made her way to the A/V room where Dustin was sitting and messing with a projector. "Hello fair maiden." Dustin said as she entered with a fake british accent. "Where pray tell is your noble knight?" He asked. El grimaced. "He is in one of his moods. I think it's the first time I ever saw it." El said sitting down. Dustin grimaced. "Yea, usually he gets that way after chemo. But I guess with his lack of food and I guess he has been hurting more. He doesn't mean it though." Dustin said. El nodded. "Yea, it still hurts though. I'll talk to him later once he gets better," El said.

Mike though was moody all day. When he arrived at class he wouldn't talk to anyone. El tried to talk to him but he would rebuff her. Eric would look on with a smile on his face. El found it eerie. Around lunch time. Mike was grumpier than normal, sitting alone.

El gave him space. She didn't want to aggravate him. Mike and Hopper just stopped being angry with each other and she didn't want that to start up again. As she was going through the line to get her lunch, someone grabber her from behind and pulled her close.

Eric still had that stupid smile on his face. "You know, if you and Wheels are having problems, I'll take you back." He said forcing a kiss on her.

Mike looked over to a slight commotion to see Eric kissing El, and El looking like she wants to murder the man holding onto her. Mike's normal reaction would be to look away but he was in a bad mood he decided to deal with this himself. So he hobbled over to the pair.

He could hear El "Get your hands off me!" As she struggled to get loose. Mike's temper flared fierce as he grabbed Eric by the shoulder and with every last ounce of strength he punched him across the face.

The punch did nothing and Eric laughed. "Did you seriously think that was going to work. Well here take the bitch." Eric said as he threw El at him. El landed on top of him and Eric then stood over them. "Yea, I think you two deserve each other. Your both dead meat." Eric said pulling out a knife. Mike and El both tried to move away but Eric put his foot on El, pinning them together. Eric smiled as he leaned down and grabbed El by her hair. "Let's make her pretty!" He said laughing.

"Get off them NOW!" Came a voice behind them. Mike looked and saw his sister standing behind them. She was holding a brown paper bah with Mike realizing he forgot his damn lunch again. Nancy looked at Eric with pure rage.

"Get the hell off of them NOW!" She commanded again. Eric smiled as he let go of El and faced Nancy. "And what are you going to do about it?" Eric said. Nancy just merely smiled at him and with a swift motion shr delivered her forehead into his nose. Eric stumbled back as Nancy grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him to the ground. She then delivered several punches to his face before Jonathan pulled her off of him.

Soon teachers and Principal Garcia all descended on the cafeteria. "The hell is going on here?" Garcia said as he looked at Mike and El, sitting at a table together. "Jesus Wheeler do you look like shit." Garcia said, earning a smirk from Mike.

"This bitch attacked me!" Eric said pointing at Nancy. Garcia looked at Eric's bloody face and over at Nancy. "That true Ms. Wheeler?" Garcia asked. Nancy nodded. "He had a knife and was going to hurt my brother and his girlfriend." She said. Garcia looked and saw Mayor Kline entering the cafeteria. Garcia was not having a good day.

"Dad, the Wheeler bitch attacked me. Both Wheeler bitches attacked me. I was reconciling with El and…" Eric began but was cut off by a glare from his father. Kline went strait to Mike and El. "Are you two all right?" Kline asked. Mike shrugged and began coughing a bit. El put her arm around him as he leaned into her. "Will, can you call Chief Hopper here?" Kline asked Garcia. "Already been called." Garcia said.

"See Wheelers? Your about to go away." Eric said with a laugh. Kline though was talking to another student who handed him Eric's knife.

Hopper stormed into the cafeteria, his two officers rushing behind him. "Chief, look I know we haven't…" Eric tried to say but Hopper had him by his shirt. "I know your dad warned you to stay out of trouble." Hopper growled. He then shoved him back and headed to Kline. "You remember our deal right?" Hopper said. Kline nodded. Hopper then faced his officers and nodded to them. Powell pulled out his handcuffs and Calahan began reading Eric his rights.

"Hey fuck you Hopper. I'm the victim here!" Eric said. "I told you son. No more fuck ups." Kline said. Eric then began crying as he was hauled away. Kline looked away as his son was taken away.

Christmas break happened a week later. El and Mike were alone in the cabin. Hopper was working late. They were watching tv when El looked at Mike. "How have you been feeling?" She asked. Mike smiled. "I am feeling better. Food has been easier to take." He said. "I have been feeling stronger lately. Why?" Mike asked. He looked over and she had a look on her face, a sly smile. "Dad won't be home till very late." El said.

El took Mike's collar and kissed him, being as gentle as she could but keeping things passionate between the pair. Mike grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Let's go somewhere a little more comfortable." El whispered in his ear. Mike nodded as the pair went into El's bedroom.

An hour later, both teens were under the covers, their clothes strewn about. It wasn't the intense passion they had hoped for, neither teen really knew what they were doing and Mike had to take it easy and not truly over exert himself. Both were cuddled together, both with satisfied smiles.

"Your dad will kill me." Mike said. El laughed. "No, I'll protect you. It was my choice. I wanted to do something for your bucket list." El said. Mike smiled to her. "You did already. My pride was a lot to deal with but I always just wanted to talk to you again. Let you know that I was sorry. I could die happy." Mike said. El cuddled closer to Mike. "I just wish you would get better." El said. Mike nodded. He got out of bed and put his underwear on and headed for the bathroom.

El got herself dressed as Mike returned. "Now I dunno what to get you for Christmas." Mike said. El laughed as the two got back into bed and fell asleep.

Hopper came home a few hours later, well after midnight. He knew El was asleep and deep in his mind he knew Mike was there as well. Hopper opened the door to check and found both teens asleep together in her bed. Hopper's first reaction was to wake them up in rage but seeing both their faces, he knew then and there he didn't want to start anything now. He gently closed the door and headed for his own room.

Christmas Eve came a week later, and The Hoppers were celebrating with the Wheelers. Earlier the Party celebrated over at Will's house, but this was for family. Ted still was wary around Hopper as he still remembered the beating Hopper gave him.

Nancy and Jonathan came in the basement, seeing Holly between Mike and El as they were watching cartoons on the tv. Nancy smiled as she watched them all sitting together. The pair walked down the stairs and got their attention. "Family wants everyone upstairs." Nancy said. Mike nodded as he got out of the bed and El helped him up the stairs.

The family sat around the living room, Karen and Ted had worked on Christmas dinner all day and both helped everyone get their plates. Dinner was a happy affair with everyone laughing at each others quips. Mike was just enjoying the evening.

During gift exchange, Mike took some of the wrapping paper and tried to wrap up Holly. El found her gift from Mike, a bear charm that she immediately started wearing. Mike smiled at her.

The night went on until Holly was getting tired. "Yea, I guess we can call it a night." Ted said. Everyone nodded as they all said their goodbyes. "I'll see you soon okay?" El said to Mike. Mike nodded. "I ain't going anywhere," He said.

As they all went to their beds, Mike smiled to himself as he fell asleep. Best Christmas ever.

AN: Yea, I know. This took forever. I went through so many drafts, I had a dozen or so other things I wanted to do. But I needed to make the chapter. A lot happened between when the last chapter came out. I was still recovering from an infection when ANOTHER infection sidelined me. Work is also picking up, hell one time I spent 20 hours at work because as a security guard we don't leave unless we are properly relieved and Texas recently had a snowstorm as of this writing. I will work on the next chapter and hopefully it won't be months before I finish. I really do want to finish before Season 4 comes out.