A/N: If you can't tell I love a good AU so much that I write them.

CHAPTER ONE: JUST LIKE ME

Eleven's POV

I woke up and started my day how I would start any other day. I fixed myself some Eggos and kissed my dad on the cheek and told him thank you. My father was the brave and somewhat intimidating Chief Jim Hopper and I loved him more than anyone, because he gave me my freedom. My name is Eleven and I have powers that no one can quite explain. The government kept me locked in a lab to experiment and try and use me as a weapon. My father had never given up on me though and one day he managed to track my whereabouts and that's where he found me. I didn't know him, but I knew that I didn't want to be there anymore so I helped him escape with me using my telekinesis. The rest is simply history. My life was going pretty well and the bad men had lost my trail a long time ago.

"Did you hear the good news?" my dad asked as I ate my Eggos.

"No, what happened?" I asked.

He said no words and just dropped a newspaper in my face, on the paper it read "HAWKINS LAB SHUT DOWN BY DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY; DR. MARTIN BRENNER ARRESTED ON SEVERAL COUNTS OF KIDNAPPING & CHILD ENDANGERMENT." As I read that final word the tears started to fall. These weren't tears of sadness, they were tears of happiness and relief, it just felt like this huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and I could finally breathe. My father wrapped his arms around me so tightly and that's when I felt my safest, like the world could not hurt me as long as I had my dad.

"Alright kid let's cut the mushy crap you've got to get to school." My dad said.

The ride to school was short, but in Hawkins does it really take long to drive anywhere, anyways I arrived and immediately spotted my friends. I gave my dad a quick goodbye and ran up to my friends eager to share the news. We called ourselves "The Party" it was a term from D&D, anyways there was Dustin he's the goofy one but he has a heart of gold, there's Will he's very down to Earth and easygoing, there was Lucas he's very aggravating sometimes but he's as loyal as they come, and there was Max my fierce best friend who took a chance on me and is the sole reason I have these friends.

"You guys guess what." I said a little too eager interrupting their conversation.

"Hey El, what is it?" Will asked using the nickname Dustin had given me when he almost slipped up and called me Eleven in front of a teacher, the name just stuck.

"The lab was shut down, and Brenner was arrested!" I practically yelled getting some odd glances.

This led to cheers and everyone telling me how happy they were for me and eventually we were in a huge group hug. The bell had rung and it was time for us to go our separate ways. Max and I walked to homeroom and talked until the bell rung. We were lucky enough to have every single class period together, we were headed to our first class of the day Biology. We arrived in Mr. Clarke's biology class and took our usual seats in the back. Before Mr. Clarke could begin the lesson a tall pale kid with a shaved head walked into the class.

"Attention students this is our new student Michael Wheeler, please treat him with the same amount of respect you'd want a person to treat you with." Mr. Clarke said addressing us as he did when any new student came.

This Michael kid had finally looked up to look for a seat and when I saw his eyes, I felt like the air had left my body. That look on his face of pure innocence and fear, I knew that look all too well. As I stared at Michael, I realized he was moving and getting closer and closer until he sat right next to me.

"Don't tell me you want the bald kid El."

"Max please don't be so shallow, I used to be that kid and no, it was just something about his look."

Mr. Clarke taught for about twenty minutes and then assigned a group project.

"You will pair up into groups of three and since I know class has been pretty intense lately, your assignment is simple. Pair up into groups of three and make a volcano that can erupt, you have forty minutes and I won't be assigning partners, have fun."

Max and I instantly partnered up, once everyone had their partners Michael was still alone.

"Should we partner with him, he is all alone?"

"We can, but this doesn't help your claims of not have the hots for the newest Hawkins High weirdo."

I ignored Max's comment and turned to ask Michael if he wanted to join us.

"Uhh hey my name's Eleanor but everyone calls me El, anyways I was wondering if you wanted work with my best friend and I on the assignment?"

He stared at me with those big innocent eyes and I couldn't tell what he was thinking but after a few moments he nodded and moved to sit with us. When he sat down no one seemed to speak and it was just awkward silence so I decided to speak up.

"So Michael, do you want to build the volcano or make the lava?"

I was given no response which was odd, he clearly spoke English since he was able to respond to me asking him to join our group.

"Lava?" He said in the softest tone I've ever heard but it sounded more like he was questioning what lava was.

"Ok, what's with this kid?" Max whispered to me.

I ignored her comment now genuinely concerned that there could be something wrong with Michael.

"Ok, I'll just go get the materials and then you can decide when I get back."

I went to get the materials and as I was walking back with all the stuff I tripped up or at least I thought I did. When I opened my eyes because I had not felt the floor, I realized I was floating only inches above it with all the materials gently floating to the ground. Something began to gently lift me to my feet and I panicked because I thought I had mistakenly used my powers in public. All of my fear was replaced with sadness and sympathy when I got back to the table and saw Michael's nose bleeding. It all had clicked together and I was stunned.

"El what's wrong?"

I didn't respond to Max I only grabbed Michael's arm and turned it over to confirm my suspicions. On his wrist was M-011 and it all started coming back, the innocence and fear, the lack of vocabulary, the shaved head, and of course me floating midair. I had almost forgot Max was there until she spoke.

"OMG El, Michael is-."

"Just like me." I said still unable to believe that there was another kid from the lab here.

I said not another word and grabbed Michael and Max and left the classroom. I sprinted down the hallway until I reached the A.V room and pulled them both in.

"Ok Michael, I want you to tell me what happened."

He only gave me a confused look and that's when I tried again.

"Did papa hurt you?"

Michael's face went pale at the mention of Brenner and that's when I knew.

"Papa and bad men gone." Michael said voice barely above a whisper.

"Ok Michael, I'm going to call you Mike because it's a younger name, what happened?"

Mike did nothing, he only closed his eyes and put his hand out and that's when I realized we were no longer in the A.V room, but now standing in the halls of the lab. They were military and doctors being arrested left and right with a lot of dead bodies on the floor of children.

"Hey sweetie, it's all right were going to take you to safety." A random woman in a pantsuit said with the nametag Karen said looking dead at us.

In the background we could see Brenner being arrested and it felt good to see. The lab faded and we were back in the A.V room. Max and I jaws were both on the floor. Mike looked like he was about to pass out and I caught him with my powers before gently placing him on the table.

"How the hell did he do that, I thought you could only move stuff with your mind." Max said.

"I don't know but when he wakes up, we have a lot more digging to do."