Chapter 3:The Reunion
Music thrummed, shaking the walls and light flashed in time with the beat. Green, red, purple, red, green. As she walked through the main door to the gymnasium, El's s ears adjusted to the volume. Once they did, she began to actually be able to hear and appreciate the music. Black lights shined down from the ceilings, casting purple shadows in every direction. The gymnasium hadn't changed much since the last time El had been here. In fact it almost reminded her of the Snowball.
El saw hundreds of people standing around glasses of wine in hand talking. Tables had been set up around the gym too. James and Eleanor both practically rushed into through the gym's doors. Both were beyond excited to be in Hawkins. They had grown up hearing of the stories of the Party in Hawkins and were looking forward to hopefully meet Mr. Clark himself. El herself was looking forward to see her friends and catch up with them all.
Mike on the other hand looked like he would anywhere but here. Dressed in a black suit and tie he cut what the figure El thought against the black lights. El knew Mike didn't like or do well in large crowds. He seemed almost frozen as more and more people walked in. Taking her husband's hand to reassure him, the pair glanced around trying to find the table Lucas had told them they would sit at.
"Can you remember which table Lucas said?" El said loudly.
But Mike didn't hear his wife over the blare of the music. He hated large celebrations like this. El seemed to have forgotten but aside from the Party, Mr Clark and maybe a couple of other teachers Mike didn't know half the people in this gym. And he certainly didn't intend to become introduced to them tonight or listen to their life stories of what they had accomplished after school. Why couldn't El see that he didn't want to be here?
"Hey hey look who it is!" A familiar voice suddenly called out to them. Lucas Sinclair had certainly changed since the last time Mike and El had seen him. He was now taller, muscular with a close-cropped beard.
"Lucas!" El immediately wrapped her arms around him in a big bear hug.
"Hey El how's things? You keeping Mike and the kids on their toes?" He joked.
"Lucas good to see you again." Mike said as he and Lucas embraced before fist bumping.
"You too, Stephen King."
Mike groaned. "Are you going to go on about the name too?"
Lucas laughed."Maybe."
"Uncle Lucas!" Eleanor screamed as she practically crashed tackled her uncle in a hug.
"Good to see you too Eleanor." Lucas gasped after she let go of him.
James and Sara also embraced their uncle. "Wow Uncle Lucas you have... muscles." Sara couldn't help notice.
Lucas shrugged."Joys of being a police officer. That and I get to catch bad guys."
"LUCAS SINCLAIR! HOW DARE YOU LEAVE ME ALONE AT THE FOOD TABLE! Don't you know I have a craving?!" Max hollered as she marched over to her husband. Her baby bump was clearly evident.
"Wow Max you and Lucas have certainly been...busy." Mike remarked.
"Nice to see you too, Wheeler." Max snapped before she turned to El. "El girl I have missed you!" Max smiled, pulling her in for a bear hug. El hugged her back tightly.
"Did you see Lucas's muscles? Oh my god." Max whispered to El who nodded.
"So when are you due?" Mike asked.
"Soon obviously. He or she is stubborn that's for sure. Doesn't want to come out do you?" Max said to her baby bump.
"It's pretty exciting. I still can't believe I'm going to be a father." Lucas replied with pride in his voice as he put his arm around Max's waist lovingly.
"And how are my nieces and nephew?" Max asked as she looked down at Eleanor and James.
"We're good." James said.
"It's so good to see you, Auntie Max." Eleanor replied looking at her aunt in awe.
"Hi Aunt Max." Sara said after she gave her a quick hug.
"How are things going with the boyfriend? Following my advice?"
Mike immediately did a spit take. "You knew she had a boyfriend?"He asked.
"Yeah because I'm her cool Aunt Max duh." Max replied as if it were obviously.
"Why the hell does Max know and not me?" Mike asked glaring at his oldest daughter who shrugged.
"Because I knew Aunt Max could help me out with advice. Plus she wouldn't freak out like you are right now." Sara noted.
"I am NOT freaking out." Mike said.
"Kind of looks like you are." Lucas agreed.
"See? Even Uncle Lucas knows your freaking out." Sara argued.
"BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T TELL ME! I am your father and I deserve to know who my oldest daughter is spending time with!" Mike snapped leaving the group in a stunned silence until...
"Whoa is this a bad time?" Will Byers joked as he awkwardly walked over to the Party. Will was taller and learner dressed in a little blue suit.
"Will, so good to see you." El said hoping to break the tension between her husband and daughter.
"Hi Uncle Will. I'm gonna go since apparently my dad doesn't trust me." Sara said as she turned on her heels and left the Party in a huff.
"Young lady we are not finished. Come back here now!" Mike shouted after her to no avail.
"That looks frustrating." Lucas remarked.
"Oh trust me teenage rebellion is one of the great many joys of raising children, Lucas. You and Max will certainly find that out." Mike answered as he quickly downed his drink clearly frustrated.
"James, Eleanor go after your sister please. Make sure she doesn't get into trouble." El instructed. The kids nodded and followed after their older sister.
With the kids now gone, The Party were now free to talk in private. Mike tuned to Will."Will wasn't expecting you to come back to Hawkins. You know considering everything that happened to you."
"Ah it's all in the past now. No need to keep holding on to all." Will explained.
"So you're an animator? That sounds cool." Lucas inquired.
"Yeah I mean I use to love drawing so might as well get paid for it." Will said.
"Certainly come a long way from "Will the Wise" though." Max said.
Will nodded."Haven't we all?"
"Speaking of where the hell is Dustin? I know he'd be late." Lucas remarked shaking his head.
"We're here." A voice suddenly announced.
The Party each turned to see Dustin walk up to them along with Suzie. Mike, Will and Lucas all looked like their jaws had dropped to the floor at the sight of Suzie.
Suzie was dressed from head to toe in a very professional business outfit, which was a deep blue-purple. She wore a pair of gorgeous sapphire earrings, and her lipstick was a beautiful shade of maroon. She wore heels, and had on silky, black leggings under her business suit. Finally, she was still wearing glasses, and her hair had been straightened, placed in a ponytail behind her.
In terms of appearances, Dustin was easily recognizable. He'd lost a small amount of weight, but more noticeable was what he was wearing. He had on a magenta hoodie, along with light green pants and grey shoes. He still wore his glasses and had a little goatee.
"Omg is that Suzie?" Whispered Lucas to Max. "I thought she was a Mormon."
"Dustin man good to see you!" Mike said as he and Dustin fist bumped. Suzie meanwhile smiled at the group and simply shock hands with Mike.
"Hello Michael. So glad you and Jane decided to come to the reunion." Her speech was calmer and drier, being less energetic than it used to be.
"I told you its El. Good to see you Suzie. You look well." El replied as she surprised the girl by giving her a sudden hug.
After El had let go, Suzie turned to Lucas, Max and Will."Good to see you all too."
"Always glad to see another girl in this party." Max replied as she and Suzie shock hands.
"So the gangs all here!" Dustin declared clearly excited to see everyone.
As Dustin began to explain what working at NASA was like, El suddenly felt...odd. She felt as if the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. Sweat started to drip from her brow. She quietly excused herself from the group and made her way to the nearby bathroom. Once inside, she splashed some water on her face. It was probably just the loud music.
"Feeling tired?" A female voice said with a regal yet subtly sinister tone causing El to jump. Turning her head she noticed she wasn't alone in the bathroom. Standing beside the doors stood an older woman wearing a dark red shirt. Her hair was waist length bright red messy not tied up at all. And her eyes...they were two different colours!
"Where...how?" El asked clearly flabbergasted.
The woman smiled."Even a storm can sneak up on a woman if she's not careful. I'm Mary. Mother Mary." The strange said.
"Jane Wheeler." El said automatically. Her real name was El but she preferred to introduce herself to a stranger as Jane. Call it old habits.
"Jane." This woman-Mary-seemed to sound out the word as she said it.
"Mother?" El asked.
"I run an orphanage looking after lost boys and girls." Mary explained.
"Are you a former student?"
"I was in the area, heard about the reunion. Thought I'd come by. You?"
"My husband and his friends used to be students here. Speaking of I should probably get back to them." There was something about this woman that El found unsettling. Whatever it was all she knew she wanted to get away from her and back to Mike and the Party.
El moved to the door but Mary blocked her way.
"You really don't remember me do you?" Mary said as an unsettling smile started to form on her face. "Maybe this will jog your memory." She rolled up her shirt sleeve. On there was the letters "TEN".
El stumbled back in shock. "You're ... from the lab?"
"Hello Eleven. I've missed you, sister." Mary revealed as her unsettling smile grew wider.
Meanwhile outside back in the gym the Party continued to mingle with each other reminiscing about the past and telling stories about the future. Everyone was relaxed clearly enjoying everyone's company.
"So Sara has a boyfriend?" Dustin asked clearly shocked.
"Oh don't get me started on that. Bad enough El seems to think I can repair thing with Mom I now have to deal with some preteen idiot dating my daughter." Mike said as he downed another drink.
"Very Hopper of you Mike." Lucas chuckled.
"Hopper had a gun. I'm just an author." Mike grumbled.
"Mike come on you haven't even met this kids yet. He could turn out great." Max said.
"Doesn't matter. That's my little girl. I need her to know no guy is good enough for her." Mike defended sounding very parental.
"Well well well look who it is." A familiar voice suddenly taunted.
The moment that Mike, Lucas, Dustin and Will all heard that voice, they knew exactly who it was behind them. After a quick cringe, the boys whirled around. Sure enough, it was whom they dreaded.
"Hello Troy." Mike said, with all the distain that Seinfeld showed for Newman.
"Hello Wheeler." Troy spat back in a condescending tone. He had clearly gained a newly masculine build, having moderately-sized biceps that indicated a plethora of exercise and training. He was wearing a darker blue shirt that was tightly fitting, as well as black skinny jeans and grey converse shoes. He also had a military style buzz cut and around his neck were a pair of dog tags.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Wheeler." He sneered.
"Me either." Mike shot back glaring back at Troy.
"Just got back from two tours of Iraq. It's fucking hell out there." Troy bragged.
"Ah bringing "peace" to the region right?" Dustin said using air quotes at peace. While not a topic the Party often brought up during their conversations they were all surprisingly liberals. While they all had viewed September 11 as a terrible tragedy, the sudden invasion of Iraq for supposed "weapons of mass destruction" and that Saddam Hussein had supposedly been involved in Al Qaeda and the imprisonment and torture of suspects in Guantanamo Bay it had galvanized the Party into their opposition to not only the War On Terror but the Bush Administration as a whole.
"Damn straight Bush and Cheney are making America great again after those Islamic terrorists attacked us. Could you imagine that fucker Bill Clinton going after Al Qaeda like Bush has?" Troy asked to no one in particular as the Party continued to glare at him.
"Jesus I can't believe you just said all that. What about the innocent people getting caught in the crossfire over there by you being too trigger happy?" Max said clearly appalled by what he had said.
Troy shrugged indifferently."Collateral damage. Cost of war."
"How can you say that?!You're supposed to be a US solider yet you sound like a thug with a gun." Max
Troy narrowed his eyes and slowly approached Max. "You watch your mouth you little bitch or I'll shut it for you." He warned in a slow threatening tone. It was clear he was used to getting what he wanted.
"Hey!Watch how you speak to my wife!" Lucas immediately said as he stepped in front of his wife and former bully.
"Wife? You actually married that Californian trash?" Another voice cut in. It belonged to none other than Stacey. The first thing the Party noticed about her was her face. One brow stretched up to her hairline with disapproval evident in her cold stare. She could have once been seen as beautiful but the tightness of her face after too many visits to the Dermatologists masked it. It was as if her face remained in a perpetual scowl. Almost like a tightly lipped Barbie doll.
She wore shorts that rode up very high above her knees, displaying a plentiful amount of her thighs as well. Her hair however was quite short. The Party noticed she wore a large diamond ring.
"No way, you two are married! Congraguations you both deserve each other. Dumb and dumber." Mike chuckled.
There was a flash and Mike was sent reeling. He hadn't even seen the punch. He felt an ugly mark on his eye from the blow. Troy learned over and whispered in a low threatening voice so only Mike would hear, "You watch your mouth Wheeler. I see you've developed a backbone. Well I see that bald little girl isn't here. Yeah I remember her. Stupid bitch broke my arm. I had it in a cast for months thanks to her. I was hoping she'd be here but I guess I'll have to settle for you instead."
"Hey get the hell away from him." Lucas suddenly pushed Troy away from Mike.
"If you know what's good for you you'll move." Troy threatened.
"If you so much as take one step I'll arrest you for assault." Lucas declared unfazed as he quietly flashed his badge.
"You're a cop? 's the biggest joke I've ever heard. A nigger like you doesn't deserve to be a cop." Troy said more to himself then to Lucas.
"What did you just say?" A furious Max asked.
"It's been so long Eleven. I almost didn't think I would find you." Mary-Ten-was saying. El was silent still in shock. Another number here in Hawkins?
"I don't remember you I'm afraid," She finally said.
"Oh I was one of the originals. Like you, I was desperate to please Papa." Mary stopped and chuckled to herself. "In fact, our stories were the same, up to a point. I was Papa's favourite until you came along. I was cast aside, forgotten. Papa abandoned me. And while you escaped and found love and happiness, I found... misery and heartbreak."
"I'm sorry. But Brenner is gone now. He can't hurt you anymore. You're free." El replied reassuringly.
Mary chuckled this time colder and harsher. "Oh you misunderstand. I don't blame Papa. In fact I'm grateful to him. Thanks to him I know see the truth. My eyes are open as will yours be."
Mary stretched out her hand towards El, the unsettling smile still plastered on her face. Blood began to drip from her nose.
The hairs on the back of her neck began to stand up again. The room around El began to spin suddenly. The bathroom stalls were suddenly replaced with long white walls. El's clothes were gone too replaced with a small white hospital gown. Beside her were two guards. And in front of her was...him.
No, she thought. This couldn't be real. Brenner nodded and the two guards started dragging her away.
"No! No Papa!" She heard herself say. She shrugged against the guards but they were too strong and continued to drag her down the hall. Brenner was getting smaller and smaller. "Please Papa! Please!"
"What did you just say?" A furious Max repeated.
Troy chuckled. "You heard me. I called him a that's what he is. A motherfucking—" Before he could finish his sentence and say the offending word; Max's fist shot out and made contact with Troy's nose. He reeled back, blood now dripped from his nose.
"Ah my nose! You broke my fucking nose!"
"Call my husband a nigger again and trust me I'll do a lot worse." Max replied as she stared down Troy.
"FUCKING BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU!" He barked as he prepared to lunge at Max.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" A third voice suddenly barked interrupting . Clarke had certainly aged. The gray had started showing with a noticeable receding hairline. If it were possible the already iconic handle bar moustache had become even more pronounced than it was before. Regardless of the times that had flown by Mr. Clarke still wore his vest and button up that was paired with a tie.
"This is a reunion not some bar fight! Either you cease or I will have you both thrown out!" He bellowed glaring at both Max and Troy.
"Red headed bitch broke my nose!"
"Enough! You will speak with respect even if you are former students. Now go." Mr. Clarke ordered Troy and Stacey. Troy looked like he was going to argue but ultimately nodded. As he turned to leave the Party he spat, "This isn't over."
Stacey meanwhile walked over to Max until she stood face to face with her. "Touch my husband again and you'll regret it."
It all happened so suddenly. There were gasps as the Party and everyone else couldn't believe their eyes. Stacey slapped Max right across the face. The fiery redhead didn't react because like everyone else she was in shock. A red hand print was evident on her porcelain skin. Her face was still turned to the side as if she was stuck.
As a smug Stacey walked away with her husband, the ginger woman immediately prepared to lunge at her but was held back by a quick thinking Lucas and Mike."Let her go." Lucas said trying to calm his wife down.
"I'd like to rip her to pieces, the little bitch."Max vowed.
"It's good to see you again, my lord." Dustin said as he shook hands with Mr. Clarke.
"You too Dustin. All of you. In fact if I'm being honest I didn't think many people would show." Mr. Clarke said.
"Really? Why?" Will asked curious.
"Disappearances. Missing kids. Mostly either runaways or homeless but still. You'd think enough strange things had happened in Hawkins." Mr. Clarke remarked as he left the now stunned group.
"Disappearances? Missing kids? It's like we're in a time loop to Will's disappearance." Dustin said.
"Maybe they are just runaways like Mr. Clarke said." Will suggested.
"Please this is Hawkins. Nothing is that simple." Lucas replied.
"Even more reason for my parents to get the hell out of dodge." Mike said.
As everyone started to take their seats, Mike noticed the ceiling lights started flicking on and off rapidly. "Guys where's El?" He asked as they too started noticing the lights.
"Bathroom. Why?" A confused Suzie asked.
Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will and Max immediately bolted towards the girl's bathroom, Mike leading the group.
Once inside, they found El crouched down in a ball head in her hands crying. Mike slowly approached his wife. "El honey? It's Mike. Are you ok?" he asked softly and concerned.
El didn't move from her position her hands still covering her face."Eleven?"
At the word Eleven, El immediately looked up. Her face was red, tears streaming down. "Mike." She said in a soft almost whisper tone.
"I'm here. We're all here." Mike said softly as he slowly took her hands in his and began helping her up.
"Your eye." El gasped as she lightly touched the mark that now covered her husband's eye.
"It's nothing." Mike said.
"Besides you should see the other guy." Max said proudly.
"Papa? Where is he?" El suddenly asked looking around the bathroom.
The party looked confused. "El he's gone, remember?" Lucas said.
"No he was here I saw him. Papa!" EL began to call out, her eyes darting around the room.
"El there's no one else here!" Max said.
"I'm sorry. The music outside it was too loud so I...came here. I must have blacked out somehow. I thought I saw Pa-Brenner." El lied. That other number Mary-Ten- must have done something. But she was gone. El would keep that to herself. No need to spoiler the reunion, she thought.
"But I'm fine now. Come let's get our seats and sit down." El said quickly as she hurried out of the bathroom and back into the gym.
The rest of the night seemed to go without a hitch. The Party took their seats and listened to speeches ("You didn't say there would be speeches, Stalker" Max would say to Lucas), have the choose of either beef or chicken to eat (Dustin:"My chicken is raw. Your beef looks good, Will."Don't even think about it, Dustin") and ultimately enjoy each other's company.
Unfortunately the night would end on a shocking note at least for Mike.
"Where the hell is Sara?!" Mike groaned. The reunion had started too wide down now as the rest of the students said their goodbyes and left the school. The Wheelers and by extension the rest of the Party were standing outside the gym waiting... for Sara.
"We need to put a tracker on that girl seriously. Where is she?" Mike said angrily pacing back and forth. "We should have left by now!"
"Mike relax I'm sure she's coming." El reassured.
Suddenly every father's worst nightmare happened right in front of Mike's eyes. His chest heaved and he became instantly enraged. Sara had just stepped out of the gym with a boy and the boy suddenly kissed her. His daughter.
You could see the vein pulse in his neck as he roared, "What the fuck are you doing with my daughter you piece of shit?"
Before he knew it he had the boy pinned against the wall. Some of his spit had even made its way onto the boy's face. Mike grinned inward with satisfaction right before he continued his assault.
In a somewhat conscience part of his mind he could vaguely hear his daughter screech, "What the hell dad?!Get off of him!" Along with some tugging on his shirt.
The boy showcased a facade of defiance but Mike could make out the fear in his eyes. He also saw the way his neck contracted as he took a deep gulp.
Mike grinned again. His mind resorted to something extremely primitive as his father instincts kicked in and was on high alert.
"Hey!" A familiar voice suddenly shouted and Mike shouted felt someone throwing him to the ground. As he looked up he saw Troy standing above him, Stacey consoling the boy.
"Typical Wheeler. You're too much of a pussy to take me on yourself so you go after my son. Is that it?" He said as Mike quickly got to his feet.
"Your son kissed my daughter. Let me guess payback for Max breaking your nose?"
"What? Is this true?" Troy asked as he turned to face his son.
"Dad this Bruce, my boyfriend." Sara said as she and Bruce held hands.
Dustin summed it up best with: "Well shit just hit the fan."