It was a simple decision to be here. Will was standing at the edge of the rip between Hawkins and the upside down. He had spent the last two days considering what he would do. Then, like a lighting bolt it hit him. He could close the tear. Or he was convinced he had a good shot at it.

The scars the upside down always felt like they were pushing him down. At least that's how he felt. The more the tear surged the more he felt that sensation. Will finally thought of something 'what if instead of pushing him down, it was trying to climb up? Was it something he could control? After speaking to El, he had her help him test the theory. He gave in, not just feeling or looking around but letting himself become fully possessed.

It was a bit like suddenly putting on an over coat and pulling the hood over his head. El panicked a little and tried to step in. Will let her know he was fine. She shook her head and then pulled a small mirror up and showed him the bottomless black pools of his eyes.

Will didn't panic which he himself found amazing. Then taking the chance he pushed that feeling back into the small space in his neck.

The longer this portal stayed open, the worse his pain and disorientation would get. Will had to try and see if this lingering ghost inside him could be compelled to close the gate.

"Okay so, El tried to explain it but I don't understand. How can you close the gate yourself?" Mike asked Will in a sharp whisper. The three them them bent their knees and looked into the tear the light looking like hot coals.

"I'm going to make it tell me how to close it." Will said directly as if he was giving instructions to a student.

"It?" Mike asked trying to catch Will's face or eye or anything to be sure this was Will.

"Yes Mike, the last bit of Henry inside me." He turned showing his bottomless black eyes. Mike jumped and tried to speak but he found all the air had suddenly left him. This had to be a nightmare. He would wake up and this wouldn't be happening.

"El, remember what I asked you?" Will asked his question with an icy directness that Mike did not recognize.

"Yes." El replied with the same directness.

"Can you do that?" Will's question hung for some seconds.

"I am sure." El replied looking at Mike struggle to make sense of what was happening.

"Do it." Will said sharply.

With a swift and easy motion El lifted Will off the ground and began lowering him through the tears' center-most point. That was all done wordlessly as if El had no objections in this. Finally as Mike watched his best friend disappear beyond the veil, back into the upside down. The place that had taken Will away from him before.

"EL, WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO?!" Mike finally yelled. She didn't drop her hand, she must have still been moving Will around. When El did drop her hand she turned to Mike with an apologetic expression

"Will asked me to help him. I asked him to let you come along in case you could talk him out of it."

"HOW THE HELL WOULD I EVEN KNOW TO DO THAT?!" Mike shouted his face showing anger only to hide the fear that was overtaking him. El shrugged and for some reason this made him flare with more anger.

"Can you connect our minds together?" Mike asked.

"I don't know, Mike." El replied sounding even more sorry.

"Will you try? Please?" Mike was giving into his panic and fear and El could feel it.

"Okay but-if I can it can't be for very long." El warned. Mike nodded.

"Clear your head as best you can. Hold my shoulders and don't open your eyes. Also-" El tore a piece of her shirt and began stuffing it into Mike's ear. He didn't pull away. When his other ear was covered El pointed to her shoulders. Make got behind her and held them. Just firm enough for her to feel them. She closed her eyes, expecting Mike had already done the same.

When they opened their eyes both Mike and El looked out in front of them. Will stood back to them with his hands in his pockets. After moments of silence Mike stepped forward.

"Will, what do you think you're doing?" Mike asked. Accusation was all over the question and he winced.

"I am closing this gate behind me." Will stated coldly. "I know what you'll say. I already planned on not coming back."

Both El and Mike felt like they'd been punched in the gut. Will talked again before either could ask another question.

"It's simple-" Will turned to face them. "This, what's left inside me has to stay here. It can't be allowed to come back. I'll end up being a gate myself."

"Will you can't, what about us? Your friends. Your mom, Hopper?" Mike protested.

"I've taken care of all that." Will's voice seemed to become irritated. "I've made my choice. You'll understand when you go home. El, I'm sorry for this but you need to leave now."

"What the fuck do you-" Mike's word's were cut off when El's body fell back into his and they found themselves back beyond the veil.

El watched as Mike started violently pulling at the grass next to her.

"WILL COME BACK, YOU CAN'T LEAVE LIKE THIS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE LIKE THIS. WILL, PLEASE, WE'RE FRIENDS MAN, COME ON. YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS..."

El could feel the sting of tears at her eyes watching Mike freak out. Then he looked at her with an absolutely crushed expression.

"What is he doin'?" Mike asked her in a supressed sob.

The way he said it cut El so deep that she began to cry as she attempted to apologize. She hadn't known Will's plan. However, in their confusion they didn't even realize the gate was, in fact closing across the town. Will had done it. Somehow he'd began closing it before pushing Mike and El out of his mind.

El walked Mike home. She made sure she guided his steps an arm wrapped around his shoulders. Mike was nearly disembodied, alone, in shock, feeling betrayed and confused. Mike walked into his house at near dawn. He got into his room without any difficulty. Luckily his parents were always hard sleepers. If either of his sisters woke he knew they wouldn't rat him out. He closed the door to his room. Going to his bed and sitting on the side of it.

Mike slammed his hands through his hair as he felt tears start to fall. He tried to keep the sobs quiet the best he could. He must of cried for a while. The next thing he knew, the sun was up and warmth was shooting through his window. He had a massive headache. He reached for a drawer in his desk to grab some tylenol. As he did, he found a letter that he knew was from Will. The handwriting was too neat for any normal kid.

Mike did his best to contain his excitement, dread and anger. He didn't want to risk tearing the letter up. It took him some time but he got it open and saw it had more than one page. He felt the pang of guilt. He never reached out to Will like this. Pushing past his own emotions and thoughts, he prepared himself to hear Will's:

Dear Mike,

"I'm sorry for everything really. I feel like we've spent the last two years having random fights.

I know they have been mostly my fault. I couldn't be honest about anything. Not about my struggles,

my feelings or anything else that would have helped us understand each other. I wanted to talk, I really

did, but ever since the mind-flayer. I just couldn't talk to you or anyone else. I tried sometimes, but not

very hard. I tried everything to forget and reconnect. The more I tried the more convinced I was that

everyone was happy and I wasn't. I accepted that. I still tried to be friends with all of you even though

you guys were into different things and people. Ha, girls really. I am sorry for our fight at our last D&D

game. I was mad at you, sure, but fuck Mike, I was so mad at myself. I was trying to reach you all

again but I wasn't considering the pain you were in. I thought I was being a good friend when I set up

the game as a distraction. When you spoke and were so frustrated with me, I felt betrayed. More than

that, I felt crushed. I knew I wasn't good enough as your friend to help you. I didn't understand. I guess

I'm saying that a lot. When we left for California, I knew I would inevitably be all alone accept for El

and our family. God, Mike, I wanted to reach out so many times. I wanted to tell you everything I was

going through. Even if all you did was say, 'gee, that sucks man.' I would have killed for that even a

little. Our calls were so painful and awkward for us, once again, my fault. Sorry. Do you know what

it's like to sit in a room full of people and feel completely alone? I was going through that even

before I left for California. Maybe I deserved that, I don't know. I tried calling you. My Mom even

made sure we had cheap long distance calls so I could do that. It'll sound stupid, but I would dial your

number all the way to the last one, get scared and let the phone roll over to the disconnected signal. I

did that so many times Mike. I was so ashamed of myself. I'm sorry I put that on you at the skate rink. I

wanted to tell you everything. I wanted to be honest and yet, once again, I just couldn't. When you

were struggling with El, I tried to be there. If my plan goes off and you're reading this after, I am glad

you'll have each other. She'll need you more than you realize. It's like I said in the van, you're the

heart of the party. I'm just a mis-leveled character who can't do much. A series of bad rolls and bad

choices, that's been my life recently. God, I'm sorry. I wish I could explain everything because I know

you'll be your usual confused thick headed self. It's cute sometimes to watch you struggle to

understand something. I'll miss it. I'll miss you. This was all I could think to do. I can't go on being

someone no one really needs. I'm tired of being alone. I'm tired of hiding in a room full of people,

especially my friends and family. I had a few good times, shit, I really did. Part of me though, I wish I

had just died in the upside down. I know that's so selfish Mike, but, I really forgot how to feel

anything else but this crushing self-hatred. I wish I could have been honest about the things

between us, but, my problems aren't your burden Mike. I want you to know that. You didn't make me

do this, none of you did. I made this choice because I didn't know what else I could do. At least this

way I could be useful to all of you. I don't want you to miss me. I'm not worth that, if you knew

everything, you would agree with me. I hope I succeeded in my plan. Goodbye Mike, I love you."

Your friend,

Will.

Mike went through the papers again and he noticed that tears and hit the end of the last page. They weren't his, but they could have been. Will's letter had basically crushed his heart. He set the letter on his desk, buried his head in his hands and started crying. He wasn't sure how long it was before he felt the arms of his sister Nancy around his shoulders.

"He's gone sis, he left, he's gone. He's gone. He's gone. Help. Help, it hurts. Nancy it hurts so much."

Across town Joyce screamed.

"WILL-NO-WILL-WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Joyce held the two pages of her letter in her hand. Hopper scrambled into the kitchen where she was. She looked up at him, surprise and concern on his face.

"What is it?" Hopper asked calmly in his chief-of-police tone.

"Will, he's gone." Joyce replied her free hand shooting up to her face as tears began to fall. The last words on the paper fresh in her mind.

"Good bye Mom, take care of Jonathan and El okay? I'm sorry I couldn't be a better son. You saved me twice, now, I'm going to save you. All of you."

Your son,
Will

Joyce reached over wordlessly and handed Hopper the letter that Will had left for him. He sat down at the dining table and thought for a few seconds. He opened the letter and began to read. Meanwhile upstairs El was in the guest room.

She was mostly completely confused. How could someone say they were happy or glad and then want to go away from everyone. Why did Will want to get away from her? Did she do something wrong? She read the one page over and over again.

"El, I am so glad I got to know you. I was jealous sometimes because Mike was my best friend and it

felt like you replaced me. If you did, that was my fault. This last year has been the easiest since we met.

I am so grateful for that, that was because of you. Because you helped me through my nightmares, you

stayed with me when I was crying. You looked out for me like a real sister. You are my real sister, no

matter what anyone says. Okay? I remember when you tried to calm me down once, you asked if I was

feeling anything in my mind. No, I wasn't then. Being here, in this place again, with that gate open? I

have to try and close it. I can't really explain much. I'm not even sure if it will work. The longer it stays

open the more danger you're all in. I'm already starting to lose myself sometimes. You know, like what

you said about being in memories or something. Anyway, please know that I am sorry for leaving you

behind. Please take care of Mike. He'll need you. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.

With love

Your Brother Will

El, made her way down to the kitchen. She knew that Joyce and Hopper knew the truth of what happened now. She turned into the doorway. The letter still in her hands.

"I don't understand. Why did he want to go away if I made him feel happy?" El's words were so innocent that it broke both Joyce and Hopper's hearts.

"Honey, it's really complicated, but this isn't your fault okay?" Joyce said, pulling El into a hug.

"Yeah, it's not your fault at all kid. Sometimes people just, I don't know." Hopper stood up and hugged El and Joyce together.

"I'm sorry kid." Hopper said. His own eyes stinging with the beginning of tears the words in his short letter crushing him:

"Hopper, do you mind if I call you dad? I wanted to thank you. I was so happy to see you again. You

have been a great dad. At least I think so. My real one sucked super hard and was always hitting

and calling me names. As long as you didn't do that stuff, you'd be pretty great to me. I definitely

am glad that you love my Mom. El being my sister, Jonathan, this family is pretty great and that's why

I am going to protect them. The way I know you would. The way you did when everyone thought you

died. Dad, huh, it's a little weird to write that. Anyway, please look after those three for me."

Will

Mike was uncertain how long he'd been sitting on his bed. How much he'd laid down with his head buried in his pillow to muffle his crying and frustrated anger. When his mother came to knock and let him know dinner was on the table he found himself still sitting. He didn't know what to do. He did know who to ask. He picked up his letter from Will and left his room. He knew he'd have to tell his parents something before he left. All Mike managed was:

"Sorry Mom, I have to go. I'll be back." The words were holding his emotions as back as best they could.

As he went toward the door, Nancy shot both her mom and dad looks of 'don't worry, I'll handle this.'

Surprisingly they obliged. She made her way out the door quickly.

"Mike wait!" Nancy shouted, walking after him. "Just wait okay. Where are you going?"

Mike would have snapped at her, but he was barely holding it together as it was. He couldn't even look at her.

"I'm going to Will's, I have to talk to El." Mike said breath catching so that he wouldn't cry again.

"Should I go with you?" Nancy asked gently.

"You could I-" He shrugged. "I don't know."

"Mike, I'll just take you there and come back home okay? You can let me know if you need me then. Get in the car. I'll tell Mom and Dad and then we'll go okay?" She placed a hand on his shoulder and he nodded saying nothing.

Nancy was in and out of the house pretty quick but the momentary reprieve from human interaction helped Mike compose himself. They drove in silence, Nancy understood Mike's need to try and make sense of this. She cared about all of the kids now, after all they'd been through together. All that didn't matter now, this was Mike's journey. She'd only come along if he wanted her to.

As they parked and Nancy turned off the car, she grabbed her brother's hand.

"Mike, do you want me in there?" She asked squeezing his hand.

"Not now okay?" Mike croaked. His voice worn by crying.

"Then I'm going to take off for a bit. I'll be home in an hour if you want me to come and get you." Nancy's words were calm and direct.

"Yeah, I will. Sorry. Thanks." Mike pulled the handle of his door and it creaked open. "Nancy, thanks."

"Always baby bro, always." Mike closed the door and Nancy watched her little brother walk shoulders slouched toward the front door of the house. She wanted to make sure he was able to get in. She waited. She noticed that Mike was just standing there. He hadn't knocked. Nancy being the great sister she was, blew the horn.

Mike didn't even have the chance to turn and react as the door swung open and Mrs. Byers was standing there, looking away from the door toward the living room.

"See, I told you someone was-" She was stunned to see Mike standing there "Oh Mike, sweetheart come in, come in." Her tone sounded motherly, worried even.

Nancy, satisfied that she'd done her job as a big sister turned the car on and backed out. She needed to go find Steve. He had to know what those dumb kids had done.

Meanwhile Mike sat at the table trying to figure out how to start. How to confess, how to apologize, he'd take either one.

"Honey, what is it?" Joyce asked.

Mike trembled. Everyone could see his struggle, even El, who was watching from just beyond the threshold of the kitchen.

"Will-" He forced out. "This-it's my fault-I didn't know what-"

He had to try to stop. He had to try and compose himself. He felt himself breathing too hard. He felt the world start to spin.

"Come on kid, let's go outside." Hopper said.

The words were warm, not angry. Mike let Hopper guide him out. Mike barely felt the world around him. They went out the back door.

"Sit here and wait, I'll be right back." Hopper went back in, letting Joyce know without words that he had this. He went to the cupboard and grabbed a glass. Then turned opening another cupboard and pulling out a bottle of whiskey.

"What are you doing?" Joyce asked concerned.

"Please trust me." Hopper replied while walking around Joyce to the back door.

Hopper poured the smallest sliver of whiskey in the glass and handed it to Mike. Mike looked up completely confusion.

"Drink it Mike, it'll help a little trust me." Hopper answered and then added, "Don't tell your mother."

Mike downed the small amount of whiskey. The burn made him want to spit it out. He managed to swallow just barely. Hopper took the empty glass.

"Now talk." Hopper said sharply.

"This is my fault. We went to-we went to investigate the tear. Will said it was bugging him. He wanted to see if he could close it. Something like that. He was just going to go with El originally. She wanted me to come, thinking that I might be able to-that I'd be able to stop him from going through with it."

He bent his head down and rested his forehead against his clasped hands.

"I didn't know. I know that we're supposed to tell you about these things. We never do. Shit. I got so used to us being able to handle this stuff. I didn't-I would. Hopper, I can't-I made a huge mistake."

Hopper's first reaction would have been anger if he wasn't hearing the desperate apologetic tone in Mike's voice. Despite his age, Mike sounded so young, scared, ashamed. Mike then shakily brought the letter out. He offered it to Hopper.

"Fuck." A fresh round of sobs came from Mike when he uttered the curse. Within minutes Hopper understood Mike's state of mind.

"Mike, this wasn't your fault." Hopper said putting his arm around the boy's shoulders.

"I made him feel like he was alone. I was supposed to be his best friend. I let him down so much. I didn't-I can't-Hopper-I can't-" Mike tried to breathe and found it really hard to force it in.

"I can't leave him there. I have to fix this. I need to talk to El, I have to. I have to. I have to. I can't-please-" Mike was losing his mind. He was just saying words that were attached to his feelings.

"Okay kid, relax. We'll figure this out okay? Just breathe. Deep breaths." Hopper coaxed the way he comforted people when he was sheriff. "After you calm down we'll sit down and talk with El." Hopper concluded. They sat in silence for probably ten minutes while Mike composed himself.

Once Mike seemed calm enough, Hopper helped him stand up and they walked back inside. Joyce met them just a few feet from the door, catching Mike in a hug.

"Sweetheart, you did not do this." Joyce said putting her hands on the sides of his face and kissing his forehead.

Mike would have given anything for people to stop saying it wasn't his fault. It so clearly was. He sat back down at the dinning table and quietly.

"El, come in here." Hopper commanded.

Obedient as ever, she emerged and sat down across the table from Mike.

"Tell Mike what you told us, El, word for word if you can." Joyce said softly

"Mike when I made the first gate it was an accident. What I forgot was that I pushed Henry through a Wall into the upside down. Mike look at me. I think if I pushed someone through to it, I should be able to pull someone here." El's words were searching for approval.

"If you can do that, why do I need to know about it?" Mike asked confused but also wondering why these three weren't already trying to do that.

"I need to rest still. We plan to go someplace to try this tomorrow night." El said, matter-of-factly.

"Why are you telling me? It's not like I can do that." Mike said a little more bitterly than he'd intended, wincing when he saw El recoil a little.

"Because you can convince him to come back. He has to want to come back Mike. If he doesn't, El can't force him." Joyce explained appealing to his and Will's friendship.

"Hopper, can you give her the letter please. She needs to know. She needs to know what I did."
Mike said, his shame building.

Mike waited for her reaction while staring at the table. His ears perked up when he heard stifled sob.

"Mike, you are the only one who can bring him back. If he loves you like he says-" Miike cut off Joyce's words.

"I am the whole reason he felt he should go away. I can't, how could I even look at him and act like his friend?" Mike asks hope mixed with doubt at the same time.

"Mike that's a bunch of bullshit." Hopper snapped. "Sometimes we do things because we should not because they feel like the best thing or the easy thing. We do them because they're the right thing. This is the right thing kid, you know it is. So you can help us, or you can cower away in your fortress of self-pity and holy shit kid, I know all about that. You don't wanna do that. You don't."

Mike looked at the father of his girlfriend and saw the honest expression with the smallest bit of pleading.

"I'll try. Mrs Byers can you call my Parents and tell them I am staying over? I can't go home right now. I just-please-I'll help. This is all I ask." Mike said. He felt himself start to build back up with resolve.

"Okay honey, I will." Joyce replied softly.

The next twenty-four hours took longer than anything Mike had ever felt before. He thought of all the ways he could break the ice when he saw Will. He worried that Will would be turning into one of the upside down creatures. He'd spent most of the night having dreams of an angry Will chasing and threatening him. Once turning to face him, to accept a fate he felt he deserved.

Frustrated, Will decided he'd play it beat by beat. Then he shook that idea away as a memory popped into his head.

'Well, El, she basically commissioned me to do it.' He immediately went to El. When he found her he tried to calm down. Convinced he already knew the truth.

"El, did you have Mike do a painting for me?" He asked his voice cracked as he tried to fight the strange excitement.

"No. I didn't, at least I don't think so." El Answered.

"That asshole, I knew it. He lied to me. He lied." It had just dawned on Mike that in one of El's letter's she had said Will was working on something he wouldn't let her see.

"Why? What?" El asked.

"I am really sorry okay but that has to be just between me and Will." Mike Answered regretfully but also defensively. Realizing all those things Will said were about El, were actually about how Mike made him feel. He had to know.

It was all Mike could do to keep himself even. He wanted to scream. He wanted to yell. He felt stupid, he hated himself for being so thick headed. Will had put so much work into that painting and wanted them to share in it together. Then he saw how Mike was feeling, so he decided to lie. He built Mike up, he helped his best friend. Even though Mike hadn't really done much for him in nearly two years.

Mike knew if it had been him in Will's place, there was no way he'd have even thought to do something so selfless. Not like that. Will must have torn his own heart out so he could lie to him like that. Why did Will think he needed to lie like that. Why didn't Mike realize in the moment fully. He knew Will was struggling. Something like this? Mike was at a loss.

So here they were at the center-most point, once again challenging to upside down.

"Mike, same as last time. Hold my shoulders. Dad, put his ear plugs in." El said.

"Remember it's been 3 days he's been in there. His mind could be weak." Mike said to El.

Once he felt Hopper tighten a blindfold around his eyes, Mike relaxed and thought about how he should approach this. He knew he should avoid yelling, but suddenly Will's words about being born a freak hit him. They hit him hard. As he thought he might snap his focus he and El were standing directly behind Will. The same way they had three days ago.

Will snapped around but his angry expression melted away when he saw Mike standing there. His best friend was crying.

"Please Will, I have to ask you something, if you still want us to go after that, we will." Mike said, trying desperately to stop the tears running down his face.

"What would you need to ask someone like me, Mike?" Will asked sarcasm mixed with hurt in his voice.

"Someone like-" Mike shook his head. "Why did you lie to me Will? Why? Why would you that? Why couldn't you tell me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Will's Bottomless black eyes conveyed his confusion.

"Yes you do." Mike knelt in front of Will. It was a trick Mike's parent's used on him when he was little and they wanted him to pay attention and not look past them. Mike didn't know why, but he took one of Will's hands in his own.

"You lied to me about the painting. The one you showed me in the van. Why would you lie? El never comshined you or whatever you said. You fucking painted that for me. Why lie to me like that? It's not-It's not fair." Fresh tears flowed from Mike's eyes.

"Because you didn't need something like that, from someone like me." Will said, his own face looking crestfallen now.

"What are you talking about, Will?" Mike said, his earnest gaze overwhelming Will who nearly looked away.

"I'm a freak Mike, I'm a f-f-f." Will couldn't bring himself to say the other word. He didn't need to.

"Wait a minute. So what? You think I wouldn't like your painting for that?!" Mike asked as if it were the dumbest thing in the world.

"You needed help. I could give that to you and not have you hate me. I didn't want-I can't-I don't want you to hate me, Mike." Will's face screwed up as emotions built.

"Will don't push us away. I couldn't ever hate you. I would never hate you. Even if you gave me the painting and said you wanted to kiss me or wrote something super queer or weird on the back of it. Wait, you didn't do that did you? Mike teased while giving Will's hand a squeeze.

"You were so worried about me hating you that you'd cross dimensions to hide from me? What the hell man? What would make you think I would ever want you to disappear. after all the time I spent looking for you and looking out for you?"

Will shrugged.

"I'm so sorry I made you feel like you needed to hide from me. I didn't want that. Is this weird? Sure. I won't lie, but shit Will, I love you."

Will jerked back defensively.

"Will, I do, maybe it's not like what I have with El, but I do. I want you to come back with us Will. I can't lose you. You keep leaving me because of horrible shit that happens. I just want you to be okay. Please come back."

"I can't." Will said so quietly that Mike filled in what he thought he heard.

"Yes you can." Mike protested.

"No Mike, I really can't. I spent my time closing all the gates in this town. Besides, even if I could this is still inside me." Will said firmly pointing at his eye.

"Let me ask you this Will. If we had a way to get you out would you take it if there were no other worries?" Mike stood up looking at Will's face. He realized they might be a little too close, but right now he didn't care about that. Will, clearly painfully embarrassed looked away.

"I guess, sure." Will answered with a blush. For some reason this struck Mike and he smiled.

"El will explain our plan. I'm going to leave you two alone. Don't be weird with my girlfriend okay?"
Mike smiled

"You asshole. She's my sister!" Will scrunched up his face.

"In some places-" Realizing the joke had run its course, Mike held up his hands in concession seeing Will's death stare. With that, he left everything else up to El and faded out of Will's mind. When he pulled back to reality he was smiling. He removed the blindfold and turned to Joyce and Hopper.

"He's listening at least. I think I really convinced him. I really think so. Now we need to wait for El. She'll tell us where it's easiest for him to reach." Mike said, trying to push down his excitement.

It was about five minutes before El removed her own blindfold.

"He'll meet us in the Bank. I told him he needs to push from his side while I pull. There's a chance we could both be hurt bad. He still wants to try." El's words were direct and almost robotic.

"Okay, let's get going-" Hopper stopped himself. "Do you need to rest first?" He asked El.

"No. It's not a mind to mind thing. Needs less direct mind contact. Rest won't matter for this." El Said.

They all made it to Hawkins credit union within minutes. All they could do was wait for Will to signal by starting to warp the environment. Joyce remembered all the way back to the first time he'd done that to their house. She remembered all too well the words she screamed at him.

'I need you to hide.'

She had such guilt about not being able to reach her son then. They got him back, but that didn't bring relief from how unable to protect him she'd been. From his father, from the upside down, from the darkness, all of it. She had failed so badly he tried to cross dimensions to stop feeling so much pain.

"He's here." El stated, cracking the silence like a firework.

"Do we need to do anything?" Joyce asked.

"No, not until I tell you." El replied cooly. "It's okay Will, I'm right here. Reach out, feel my mind. Keep pushing, I'll grab you-"

"El?" Mike called.

"NOW!" El barked startling everyone in the room.

The next thing Mike saw was as bulge in the wall. Then red light started to seep through a few cracks. He noticed El's nose was bleeding and then he panicked when blood began streaming from her eyes.

"HARDER WILL, DON'T STOP!" El screamed. Mike forced his hands to his ears, his girlfriend's screams of pain reminding him of being in that lab with Will.

Then, in less than 30 seconds, Will's body burst through the Wall, El catching him with her mind and setting him down carefully. He was unconscious. El fell back from her sitting position and Joyce barely stopped El's head from striking the floor.

Mike ran to check on Will. Will looked deep blue gray. His clothes dirty as if he'd worn them for a month. His hair was soaked and glued to his head.

"HOPPER, HE'S NOT BREATHING! HOPPER!" Mike pleaded. The fear in his voice hitting his own ears.

Hopper leaped into action went over to where Will was laying.

"Mike, do you know how to do CPR?! MIKE?!" Hopper snapped.

"No, I've never done it." Mike replied.

"Listen carefully, I'm starting chest compressions. Lift his head up so that his chin is off his throat. When I tell you, your gonna squeeze his nose and take the deepest breath you can. You'll blow into his mouth."

Mike watched dutifully as Hopper pushed hard on Will's chest.

"Now kid, blow your breath in like I told you." Hopper commanded through his own labored breaths.

Mike did exactly as instructed. Suddenly remembering that he'd been taught CPR.

"Again." Hopper barked

Mike blows a breath into Will's mouth. It never even occurs to him for this to be awkward.

"Come on kid. Don't do this." Hopper says through quick breaths. "Again Mike, as big as you can."

Mike blows in another breath but he's starting to panic. He can feel his chest start to burn.

"WILL, COME BACK!" Joyce screams. This doesn't distract Hopper or Mike which brings her relief as she didn't mean to call out like that. Still holding El, she watched Helplessly once again. She felt like such an awful mother.

"Again Mike."

Breath

"Again"

Breath

Then an loud inhale and wide eyes greet his. Will was alive.

"Oh shit, Will, shit, shit, shit. I was so scared." Mike said. He rested his head against his friend's chest. "I thought you were gone. Oh shit. Oh shit." A sob escaped his mouth and he felt Will's hand rest on his head.

"It's okay Mike, I'm okay now." Will said weakly.

"No nothing is okay. I'm such a stupid piece of shit." Mike sobbed.

Both boys were unaware that Joyce had quietly traded places with Hopper who was now helping El.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Will. You were-" Mike shuddered.

"Mike stop, I'm okay." Will's voice was fuller and more calm.

Mike wanted to protest but he had suddenly caught Will's heartbeat in his ears. The thump was strong, a bit fast, but Mike was finding it comforting.

"Mom-" Will started.

"I know honey. We can talk about this later okay. We need to get you to the hospital."

Will nodded.

"Mom, I love you so much. Don't blame yourself. You can yell at me if you want." Will's voice was earnest.

Joyce felt tears run from her eyes. She leaned down beside her son and kissed his forehead.

"I love you too, Will. I don't think I'll do much yelling, if that's okay." Joyce said smiling.

"Have to close-gate-dad help me get up." El groaned.

"El, you're not in any condition to-" Hopper started.

"Have to-can't leave it too long or it will get too big." El stated doing her best to sit back up.

"El, seriously, you can't do this." Hopper said sharply.

El forced herself up and begain attacking the gate. Her head hurt so bad. She was feeling psychic blow back every time she grabbed at it. Henry was trying to stop her, she was convinced even in his weakened state that he was fighting her.

"He's trying to keep it open..." Will's eyes snapped open, showing pure black pools once again. "Mike I need you to move for a second. EL, STOP. I'LL HANDLE THIS." Will yelled.

Both Mike and Joyce pulled back in stunned surprise. Will sat straight up and turned his face toward the cracked wall. The barrier between worlds shown as simple cracks right now. However, anyone with psychic sensitivity would feel immense discomfort.

Will's face turned angry.

"Goodbye Henry. You won't be coming back as long as I'm here. You motherfucker." Will spat.

His arm shot out so quick both Joyce and Mike jumped with surprise. Will felt the gate close as the tingling fire he felt in the back of his head and down his back calmed. He felt the world spin and then his vision disappeared.

Both Mike and Joyce caught Will as he fell back.

"He's okay." Joyce said checking his pulse the way Hopper taught her to.

"Will, we've got you. Just rest man. Just rest." Mike said softly. He patted Will's shoulder and blew out a breath.

"Mike?" Joyce asked.

"Yeah?" Mike answered reflexively.

"Where did my son learn those swear words from?" Joyce's motherly tone made Mike shrink a little.

"I didn't-he-shit-sorry-I mean-I don't know." Mike stammered.

"Sure, you don't know." Joyce said sarcastically.

"I don't." Mike Whined.

"This isn't over, Joyce." Hopper called.

He helped El up and continued to help her clean the blood from her nose and eyes.

"El, thank you." Joyce said warmly.

"Will would have saved me. It's fair, isn't it?" El asked innocently.

"Yeah, it is kid. You did good." Hopper replied. Hopper walked over and surveyed the damage to Will and stood up.

"We need to get him to the hospital, you know, where he lives." Hopper joked. When Joyce shot him an icy glare, he sent her an apologetic look. Carefully, Hopper knelt down and picked Will up in a fireman's carry. He found it an odd sensation that he missed being able to cradle Will on his shoulder just a few years ago.

Mike, Joyce and El followed behind Hopper, getting to his truck. A crack of thunder stopped them. El grabbed her head.

"Henry is really mad. But he's not strong like usual." She said pulling her hands away from her head. "We should go right now."

All of them got in and headed back to Hopper's place. Silent. Realizing their next crazy journey was just ahead of them.

"Will, I'm here. I'm here. I've got you." Mike said.

Joyce watched the two boys who were across from her in the bed of the truck. She raised an eyebrow slightly. Some things had changed, maybe not all of them bad. She watched as Mike held Will, stroking his bangs away from his forehead. She had to wonder. Most boys weren't that close. Mike and Will however, they'd always been that close.

She learned it all the way back when they saved Will from the upside down. Stupidly she tried to keep them apart during Will's possession early on. For both their own sake. Later she had relented. Seeing Mike in the Lab with Will then, sleeping, waiting for his best friend to wake. Boys didn't do that stuff, did they?

Carefully watching Mike hold Will. She answered her own question. Boys may not, but these two, they did. She loved them. She wouldn't get in their way ever again. Especially if things were going to get a lot worse.