AN: Welcome to my first story that I actually plan to complete. I tired to write one before but I just wasn't feeling it. This story is a little more action packed so buckle up and enjoy!
It was a peaceful morning. The sun was bright. The weather was perfect. El looked around the room filled with all the party members still asleep. Last night was an amazing sleepover with DnD, movies, and El's favorite, lots of Mike.
Mike and El had grown closer and closer. They were more than any normal boyfriend and girlfriend, they were soul mates.
El turned on her other side and saw the peaceful look on Mike's sleeping face. El moved a hair off his face gently. Mike smiled at the touch and woke from his sleep, his eyes fluttering open.
"Hey beautiful. " He said in a sleepy, yet loving voice. "Good morning Mike." El responded with a massive grin on her face. The moment was wonderful. The couple felt completely at peace being able to be close to each other without the peering eyes of the party or parents.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Dustin woke up and screamed loud enough to wake everyone up immediately. Dustin looked around and began to remember where he was. He saw the angry and annoyed faces of all his friends staring at him.
"Sorry." Dustin said coyly. "I forgot I was at Mike's." Everyone rolled their eyes except Max who just threw a pillow at him.
Since everyone was up now, they went ahead and migrated to the kitchen for some breakfast. "I'm having eggs. Anyone else want some?" Mike said half asleep. Everyone agreed to eggs except a shy looking El. Mike smirked, "Don't worry babe, I'll make you some eggos." El beamed happily at the thought of morning eggos. Mike knew her so well.
"Babe?" Lucas interrupted with a smirk on his face. "Mike blushed but retorted with a stern, "Yeah, babe. Deal with it." Mike stuck his tounge out for extra good measure. Lucas just shrugged and got the eggs and the eggos out for Mike to cook.
The rest of the morning went great. The party laughing as they ate, remembering funny things from the night before. Just then the chief walked in. Mike was sad at first, knowing that him being there meant El had to go, but when he saw the look on Hopper's face he could tell something was wrong. "What is it?" Mike blurted out, showing concern for the man that took in El. Mike honestly expected Hopper to ignore him or brush it off as nothing, but his face became serious as he sat down and looked around at the now concerned party.
"I got a phone call this morning." Hopper began as looked for the right way to explain the next part. "I don't know for sure yet, but I've gotten several calls about suspicious activity around..." Hopper gulped as he built the strength for the next part of his story. "...around Hawkins lab."
Everyone who was just laughing and having a good time was now frozen in shock. Mike excused himself from the table, but El saw the tears in his eyes at the news.
Hopper sat in silence until Mike came back, sniffling and with bloodshot eyes. "Please don't take her away from me Hopper." Mike said with a shaky voice. Hopper always pretended to hate the couple being so affectionate, but deep down he knew they loved each other.
"First I need to see what's going on over there." Hopper tried to say with as little emotion as possible. There was a short silence until El spoke up. "I'm going with you." Hopper went to open his mouth in protest, but Mike chimed in first. "I'm coming too. I'm not letting El go alone again." Hopper sighed as the rest of the party said they were going as well. Hopper thought about arguing, but he knew the children would come either way, and he figured it would be safer if they all came with him instead of by themselves.
The sun was starting to warm up the air, but no one felt warm as they approached the rusted fence in front of the lab. Mike grimaced thinking about the horrors that went on in this place. Hopper cut open the now weakened fence and led the party to the door. As they opened the front door they all thought about Bob and how he had died in this very room. The room now had nothing but dust and broken glass. "Hello?" Hopper shouted. When there was no response of any kind he motioned the party forward. They walked all around, finding nothing unusual. Hopper let out a sigh of relief as it seemed the place had no presence of anything alive except a few rats. Just as they turned to leave Dustin leaned against a panel in the wall that suddenly shifted and opened up into another room.
This room was completely clean and had no signs of being unused. Everyone stood in shock as Hopper jumped in front to check around the room.
At first Hopper assumed the room looked better because it was sealed off from the elements, but just then a loud hiss came from one of the walls. It began to open and they could all hear the sound of voices. Everyone ran into a nearby supply closet and listened.
"I think in a few weeks we'll be ready to try again. We should begin looking for- Who left this door open?" A voice boomed through the halls sounding somewhat familiar, though it was hard to tell with all the echo.
"Wasn't us sir. I triple checked." One of the other men stated. "Well doors don't open by themselves." Came the familiar voice. One of the men started walking. One leg stepping normally while the other boomed loudly. "Someone's here." Came the first man's voice. "Unless you two brought in candy."
Dustin looked in horror at the hole in his bag. He had brought a few pieces of candy in case anyone got hungry. Though everyone knew it was for him more than anything. Hopper glared at the boy, but stayed silent.
The alternating footsteps came walking down the hall, drawing closer to where everyone was hiding. The footsteps stopped in front of the door. El clung to Mike trying not to make a sound.
The feet moved on and the sound slowly dissipated into the distance. After a minute or so of silence Hopper decided to crack the door to see if the coast was clear. He looked left and right and saw no one. The secret wall was now closed and looked as if there had never been an opening.
Hopper led them all out quickly and quietly. Everyone was feeling safer as they saw the door outside when they heard a booming footstep. The party looked up in horror at what they saw. A man with a metallic leg, scars across his face, and worst of all, a grin. The man looked at the children, as if he was expecting them to be here. His low and calm voice spoke. "Hello Eleven. I've been looking for you."
Tears fell down El's face as she cowered behind Mike. She finally spoke up, "P-papa?" Mike was shocked and panicked at first, but now he was furious. "You should've stayed dead you son of a bitch!" He charged Brenner, but Hopper held him back to keep him from getting killed.
"How the hell are you alive?" Hopper said through clenched teeth. Brenner simply gave a faux smirk. "Let the kids go." Hopper spoke through the silence.
"Oh, but of course. You're all free to leave unharmed. Under one condition." Brenner's fake smile turned to a very real glare as he turned his head towards Mike. "Give me the girl." He stated plainly.
Mike, who was usually shy and reserved spoke out against him with the upmost confidence. "I'd rather die than see El go back to you." Mike was seething and only Hopper's hand was keeping his temper in check.
Brenner put on another fake smile and said, "Fine. I'll just have to take her from you. It's for her own good."
Suddenly there was a loud thud as Brenner fell to the ground. His fall revealed an exhausted looking Jonathan Byers. Everyone looked at him in shock. Hopper had absent-mindedly taken his hand off of Mike and Mike reeled back and kicked an unconscious Brenner right in the stomach.
Hopper snapped back to reality and pulled Mike back. "Wheeler, I know you're upset, but right now we have to go." Mike looked angrily at Brenner, but turned his head and nodded. Everyone sprinted out and ran to the cars outside. They drove back to Hopper's cabin and locked all of the locks on the door. Hopper finally let out the breath he was unaware he was holding and turned to Jonathan.
"How'd you know where we were?" Hopper asked thankful, but curious. Jonathan responded with a shaky breath, "I saw your car headed towards the lab when I went to pick up Will. I followed you in. Any idea how Brenner is alive? Will said he died." Hopper pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not sure how he's alive, but what matters is that he is. And he wants El." Hopper thought about what to say next then opened his mouth hesitantly. "He said something about almost being ready for something. I'm sure it's not good."
The party stood in silence, trying to process everything that had just happened. Mike spoke up. "I guess you'll be hiding her here for another year?" Mike said half annoyed and half broken hearted.
Hopper sighed before responding. "No. She needs support from her friends. This time we're fighting back. However right now we stay in one place when possible. You'll have to make due with sleeping here, even if it's a tight fit for all of us." Hopper sat in a chair in the dining room before continuing. "I'll be the only one authorized to leave for picking up food and other necessities. I'll call all the parents and explain everything."
"Everything?" El asked in fear that her friends parents would reject her. "Everything." Hopper responded. "They have to know El. I'm sorry."
El nodded in understanding. Jonathan was next to speak. "I'll watch the kids when you leave. You can get things we need and try figure out what our next step is. Hopper nodded and stood up.
"I'm going out to get some food. I don't think we have enough for all of you right now. Stay quiet and keep the windows and door closed. Understood?" Everyone nodded in understanding. "Good. I'll be back soon. If you must contact me, use that." Hopper said pointing to the small radio. "El knows what channel I use."
And with that final thought he left and El locked the door again. Everyone sat in silence. No one had the right words. Will and Lucas tried to talk about something other than the crazy things they had seen, while Dustin and Jonathan talked about what they thought the next step should be.
Mike however knew his role right now. He wrapped his arms gently around El as she lay her head on his chest. After a while she drifted off to sleep and Mike never let her go.
AN: The first chapter is all done. What did everyone think. Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions on the story. Thank you for reading! And remember, the story is just getting started.