Disclaimer: I don't own Stranger Things or any of the characters in this story.


Chapter 8: Please Forgive Me

Max was panic-stricken. Her skin was clammy as she pedaled feverishly toward the cabin in the woods. She hadn't fully calmed down after what happened earlier. All she knew was that she wanted to get to El as soon as possible. Between the two of them, they could probably figure it all out.

As soon as Hopper's cabin was visible, Max stumbled off her bike, letting it sail into a tree. Staggering up the front steps, she knocked out the secret knock on the front door. "El, please open up," she cried.

Inside, El and Mike were just finishing their Eggo breakfast. They looked at each other in confusion at the tone of Max's voice. El quickly stood up and unlocked the door, pulling it open in haste. An exhausted Max fell into her arms, sobbing loudly. El looked at Mike, unsure of what to do. She'd never seen her friend in such a poor state.

Mike edged around the two girls and shut the front door, which finally alerted Max of his presence. She sniffled and looked up. "Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here."

"Mike came over this morning to have breakfast and hang out," El explained. She reached out her hand to grasp Mike's, an action that did not go unnoticed by Max.

"So I take it the date went well," she asked with a small smile, momentarily distracted.

Mike and El grinned at each other, the memories of last night's dinner coming back. "It was amazing," El gushed. "The pasta was SO good, we got to drink our Coke in fancy wine glasses…"

"Wait, what?"

"That was all thanks to Mike. He asked the waiter if we could use them, since we were on a date."

"Damn, Wheeler. Good going."

Mike shrugged. "I just figured, what's the worst that could happen? The guy would say no. But we'd still have a great dinner. I just wanted to make El happy."

Max nodded. "Good. She deserves it."

"But enough about the date," El said after a moment of silence. "What's wrong?"

Max closed her eyes and thought back on the events of this morning. She was still having a hard time wrapping her head around it. "I was just about to get on my bike and ride over here. There was a guy across the street, watching me."

"Like a pedo or something? What the fuck," Mike exclaimed. "Who was it? I'll beat his ass."

"I appreciate that, Wheeler," Max began with a snort, "But no offense…how? You going to dig your bony ass elbow into his eye?"

El had to laugh. Even in the worst of times, Max could always be counted upon to serve up some feistiness.

Mike looked at El in surprise, and clutched his hand to his chest. "And just what is so funny? You think I'm bony?"

His puppy dog expression made El laugh even harder. Mike WAS a little bony. But he was also extremely cute.

"I didn't say anything," she choked out between laughs.

"You didn't have to," he sing-songed, stepping slowly towards her. "Well I may be bony, but that does have its advantages."

El backed away as he approached, though she couldn't go far. "Like what," she asked quietly as her back hit the kitchen counter.

Mike leaned over her, putting a hand down on either side of her. She was trapped. El started to get that unfamiliar ache between her legs again as his lips brushed against her ear. Her eyes just before he whispered…

"I can tickle the hell out of you."

El barely had time to react before his fingers started digging into her sides. She screamed and laughed, sinking to the ground as she attempted to fend Mike off. He simply went down with her. Soon they were both on the ground, laughing and red-faced. They were completely wrapped in their own little world, but their reverie was soon broken by the slam of the front door. A quick look around the room showed that Max was nowhere to be found.

"Oh no," El cried. She jumped up and pulled the door open, just in time to see Max striding towards her bike. "Max!"

"Gee, I'm surprised you even notice I exist. You seemed pretty distracted with lover boy back there," she spat.

"Hey! You like Mike."

"Sure, he's great! Nice hair, talented guitarist, references up the ass, whoop-dee-fucking-doo!"

Tears began running down El's face. "Max," she sniffled.

Max paused, shaking her head. "You know, you're my best friend, El. I came to you this morning because something unbelievably shitty and weird and fucked up happened to me. I was worried and scared, but I came to you because you always make me feel better."

"I know, and I'm sorry." El was still standing on the front steps. She walked down and wrapped her arms tightly around Max. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, burying her face in Max's shoulder.

Max's resolve crumbled, and she burst into tears, hugging El back. The two girls swayed silently together in the woods for a minute or so before El picked her head up. "Please come back inside," she asked. "I promise to listen. You're my best friend, too."

"Okay," Max said with a nod. "I'm sorry about that shit I said about Mike. I was angry. Hea great guy."

"He is," El agreed. "I like him a lot."

"No, really," Max asked with a sarcastic grin. "I had no idea."

El laughed – the regular Max was coming back. "Do you think you guys could be friends?"

"Totally. I'm pretty sure we already are anyway. Don't forget, our shared trauma links us forever."

"Shared trauma," El asked, confused.

Max rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you already forgot about the food fight at Benny's. We're always going to be connected to those nerds."

"Yeah, about that," El began, remembering something she'd been meaning to ask, "Do you like Lucas?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you like Lucas? It seemed like you guys were talking a lot at Benny's."

"Oh, I heard you the first time," Max said. "And we were NOT talking. He was being a dick and I was defending myself."

"If you say so."

"I DO say so."

"Okay then."

"Okay."

El started giggling first – the tension of the morning leaving her body – and Max soon joined her. They wrapped each other in a tight hug and began walking slowly back up the steps of the cabin. As they walked through the front door, Mike stood up from where he sat on the sofa, an anxious expression on his face.

"Max, I am so sorry," he began earnestly. "You came here to see El, and I fucked that up. Let me get out of here so you guys can hang out."

Both El and Max began to speak up in protest, but Max beat her to it. "Relax, Wheeler. El already apologized. It's all good…seriously. Isn't there room in here for the three of us? I mean, I know it's a little small, but surely we can all fit."

El smiled hugely while Mike just sputtered. "Are…are you sure?"

Max raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah. We're all friends, and I'm pretty sure you're El's boyfriend now. That comes with the territory."

He and El looked at each other, eyes wide. They hadn't yet had the boyfriend/girlfriend/what-are-we talk.

"The point is, you're a good guy, Mike," Max continued. "Just don't fuck around with El, or I'll fuck YOU up."

Mike chuckled nervously. "Well considering El's telekinetic, I think SHE'D be the one to fuck me up."

"There you go," Max said with a nod of approval.

El couldn't help but feel grateful for Max and Mike. She cared for them both very much, and it seemed like they were getting along well. She looked forward to the day when they could hang out more with Dustin, Lucas, and Will as well.

Looping her arm through Mike's, El rested her head against him, grinning when she felt him place a soft kiss on the top of her head. …And there it was again – that ache between her legs. She really needed to ask Max about that when things calmed down. That reminded her…

"Max, why don't you tell us what happened this morning?"

Max felt her stomach muscles clench, the memory flooding back. "Okay, remember how I said there was a guy across the street watching me?"

Mike and El nodded. "Well," Max continued, "He looked like…I could have sworn it was…but it couldn't be…" she kept trailing off, her breathing picking up with each word.

El could tell Max was getting worked up. She broke away from Mike and put an arm around her. "Who," she pressed gently.

"You're going to think I'm crazy…but it looked like Billy," Max finally got out. "It couldn't have been, obviously. This guy was so pale and way too thin – Billy was always ripped. Probably exercised too much." She remembered his almost manic workout sessions. It seemed incredibly counterproductive that he would also have a cigarette dangling from his lips, and would stay hydrated with a can of beer. But Max could never convince him to do otherwise.

El's heart felt like it was in her throat. Billy. There he was again. It seemed an odd coincidence that she had a dream about him in the middle of the night, and then Max thought she saw him this morning.

There was no way it was him. It was simply impossible.

She began stroking Max's hair in what she hoped was a comforting manner. Remembering her earlier conversation with Hopper, she spoke up.

"Max, you're safe. I promise you that. You have nothing to worry about."

"But it looked so much like him," she persisted. "What if he's not actually dead? What if we buried him alive and then he dug himself out?" Max was hyperventilating again, practically hysterical.

El had never seen her friend quite this unhinged. It was unsettling. She continued to stroke Max's hair and looked at Mike, the worry evident in her eyes. He took that as a cue to try and make himself useful.

The scientific part of his brain took over. On the whole, women were more emotional creatures…not downplaying the hurt Max was feeling, of course. But maybe what Max needed was a gentle reminder of the facts. Digging into his logic and critical thinking skills, he was silent for a moment before speaking, not wanting to further upset her.

"Max, how many times have you visited Billy's grave," he asked carefully.

"I don't know…at least once a month, maybe."

"Has the ground there ever looked disturbed or out of place?"

Max shook her head. "No, I don't think so."

"If he had dug himself out of his grave, why would he wait for a whole year to show back up?"

"Good point…"

"And with the science and technology that we have today, I don't think the police and certainly not the coroner would have missed a pulse," Mike concluded.

He was pretty pleased with the logic he presented. He glanced at El, and she gave him an encouraging smile. However, the same was not true of Max. She was no longer hyperventilating, but her face was crumpled in pain and she was crying.

"Oh shit," Mike muttered. Maybe he'd gone too far?

Max let out a loud sniffle and looked at him and El. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "Mike, you're right. You're absolutely right."

"What's going through your head right now," El asked, leaning her chin on Max's shoulder.

"Well…when I saw what I did this morning, I was totally freaked out. Don't get me wrong," she began. "But I don't know. He was an asshole who was rude to me and my mom, he spent way too much time on his hair, and he used way too much fucking cologne," she said with a snort. "I miss him, though. I miss him a lot. I guess maybe I was still in denial, and this morning there was this faint glimmer of hope inside me that he might still be out there."

El nodded in understanding. "I'm so sorry, Max. Is there anything we can do?"

"Well, I could use some chocolate…a greasy burger sounds good, too," she said with a weak laugh. "But no, not right now. I'm glad I can trust you guys," she said fervently.

"We're here for you, Max," Mike added. "Please know that. And don't forget about Dustin, Will, and Lucas. They're good guys."

"Thanks, Mike. You're a good guy, too. El's a lucky girl," she said, winking at her friend.

Mike blushed. "Nah…I'd say I'm the lucky one."

El let out a breathy sigh, while Max began to gag. "Okay. That's enough mushy shit for one morning. I really wasn't kidding about the chocolate and burger. You guys want to go grab stuff from Benny's?"

"Are they open this early," El asked.

"Hell yeah they are," answered Max. "There are old guys who show up WAY earlier than this. Gotta get that senior discount," she cracked.

"I can go pick up the burgers," Mike volunteered. "I just don't want Hopper to come back to an empty house. He'd really be pissed."

El pouted slightly. "Are you sure?"

"I'm still trying to get into his good graces. I don't want him to think I'm irresponsible." He reached out and took El's hand. "And anyway, Max needs you. She's your best friend. You guys just hang out, and I'll be back before you know it."

Max smiled. "Cool…thanks, Mike. But if you come back without a chocolate shake for me…don't come back."

They all laughed. "Noted," he replied.

After he patted his pockets to make sure he had his wallet, El walked with him out onto the front porch. She wanted to ask him something before he left.

"Hey Mike?"

"Yeah?"

She took a deep breath and decided to dive right in. "Are you my boyfriend?"

"Huh…ah…what," Mike sputtered.

"It's just that Max mentioned earlier about you being my boyfriend. What do you…think of that?"

Mike certainly wasn't opposed to it. Max's statement earlier had caught him off guard, definitely. But he liked El so much, and if she'd have him, he was hers.

He leaned in and kissed her tenderly, trying to pour all of his emotions into that kiss. El wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, immediately darting her tongue out to taste his bottom lip and making him moan.

After another moment, Mike broke off the kiss and leaned his forehead against El's, both of them breathing heavily. "I want it, El. I'd love to be your boyfriend. Do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"Of course I do. I liked you from the moment I saw you," she said frankly.

"Then it's settled…girlfriend," Mike said with a grin.

"Okay…boyfriend."

"Okay. I'm going to head off. Do you want a chocolate shake, too?"

"Yes please!"

Mike gave her hands a squeeze before trotting over to his bike and peddling off, a very happy El watching him as he sped through the trees.


Max was right…even before lunch, Benny's was packed. It took Mike double the time it usually did to place his order. It was going to be worth it, though.

He waited at a table by the door while the food cooked, and allowed himself to relax. But he couldn't help overhearing the conversation at the next table.

"I heard the Chief's got his work cut out for him today."

"Well that should be a nice change, eh?"

"Oh come on, I'm being serious. You hear about Larry Howard? He didn't come home last night."

"Big surprise there. They check his car? Probably just asleep."

"Well that's the thing. I guess they found his car, but Larry wasn't in it."

"He left it at the bar?"

"It wasn't at the bar. It was behind a gas station at the edge of town."

"What the hell? He get some gas and go take a walk or something?"

"And then not come back? Doesn't make any sense. His wife is crazy worried. I guess she was at the station first thing."

"How'd you find out about this anyway?"

"You know how Flo is. She tells someone, that someone tells someone else, and so on."

"Wheeler! Food's ready!"

Mike had been so engrossed in trying to listen in, and the shout startled him terribly. He jumped and hit his knee on the underside of the table, muttering curses under his breath as he got up.

After a harried thanks, he grabbed the bag with the food and shakes and ran outside, eager to get back to El's. He was anxious to see his new girlfriend, but he couldn't deny that he was a little on-edge, too. He didn't like what those guys were talking about. It creeped him out. Literally nothing shady ever happened in Hawkins. But for someone to go missing? That was a huge deal.

The sooner he could get back to El's, the better.


Hi everyone, how are we feeling? I'm seeing pictures of the Stranger Things cast roll in from the red carpet at the SAG Awards. Go check them out if you haven't already. They're not kids anymore! And they're so color-coordinated.

Any recommendations for Netflix or Amazon Prime shows to watch? We just finished season 2 of Sex Education (I'm so upset over the ending, by the way), and I'm also in between Anne with an E and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Please leave me a review! I love to hear what you think of my story. Until next time.