"You did good kid, you did so good."
Hopper hugged Eleven like his life depended on it. She was so small and fragile, yet she'd probably saved the entire world from unknown horrors. She was his own life line, she'd saved him from slipping into an empty pit of himself. She had given him hope and a reason just to be.
"I love you kid."
"I love you too… dad." Hopper's tears ran into his beard.
He quickly wiped his sleeve across eyes. "Cabin is busy and probably a mess, I can't take you there. I'm not taking you back to Joyce's, um, Mrs. Byers."
"Take me to Mike's. I want to have a shower. I don't want him to see me like this… again. I'll have a nap in the blanket fort. I'm tired."
Hopper didn't ask who all had been sleeping in the blanket fort, and right now he didn't really care. He was glad to have her back and that she had at least another place she felt safe at. "I'll bring Mike to you ok?"
She looked at him with big, tired eyes, smiled, and nodded.
XXXXX
El looked into the mirror in the bathroom. She felt fresh, her garish makeup was gone, the hair gel, or whatever it was, all washed out of her hair, it was back to the curly mop it had grown into.
I hope Mike still thinks I'm pretty… I'm so tired.
She put on a long t-shirt. Long for her. It was the same one Mike had first given her to wear, she also found what looked like the same pair of track pants.
She went over to the blank fort. The sleeping bag was neatly made, there were extra blankets. A tear rolled down her cheek.
He was expecting me to come back. He never gave up on me.
She got into the sleeping back, feeling very content. She heard a crinkling, it seemed to be coming from underneath her lumpy pillow.
She got up on one elbow, lifted up the pillow and found the reason for it's lumpiness. There were dozens of pieces of paper under it. She picked one up, at the top of said Day 272. She picked up another, it said Day 11 .
He wrote those? She gathered them all up and put them in order. Only one of them didn't have a Day number on it. She read that one first.
XXXXX
Dear El.
You saved my life again… and you disappeared. I'm hoping that you are just stuck in The Upside Down (I hate that place) and not… you know… gone.
I thought I saw you outside while those government assholes were questioning me. That made me think you were… I don't know… out there someplace.
I took a chance and called you on the Supercomm, I didn't really expect to hear back from you. I decided I'm going to call you every night and write a letter to you. Sometimes I don't express my feelings very well, I'm a better writer than I am a speaker, so…
I'm glad you were grossed out when I kissed you. You looked so pretty, I really couldn't help myself, even with your short hair you look pretty El. Don't let anyone tell you you don't. I wanted to tell you that I liked you. That I really liked you and wanted to take you to the Snowball.
El held the letter to her heart and smiled, "I like you too Mike, and I have hair now." She said aloud and continued reading.
I want to say how sorry I am. I yelled at you twice. I know it wasn't your fault that you couldn't find Will here. I know that. I knew it then too, but I yelled at you. I will tell you that I'm sorry every single night and in every single letter. I'm sorry El. You were just trying to help and… I guess I just thought the worst about Will and took it out on you. If you ever get to read this, I just wanted you to know. I'll never be mad at you again.
"I know Mike. I know." El said aloud.
Life is funny sometimes. All kinds of weird things had to happen at the lab, and bad things to you, but it all came down to you finding me. It's not the normal way of getting a girlfriend, I mean, I know you aren't my girlfriend, El, I mean it's not the normal way you get friends.
I miss you already, El. It's only been a few hours. I miss your questions. The way you smile at me. Your… really pretty eyes.
El could see the tear stain right after the word "eyes".
"I missed you too Mike." El decided right then, she would read every single of Mike's letters. She kept going.
Sorry El. There was something in my eye there. It's gone now. Wow. I didn't think writing this letter would be so hard. It makes me feel better though. Telling you stuff I couldn't tell you face to face. Your eyes are so intense that… well, it's just hard for me to speak, you know?
I don't want to sound like a total wasteoid either. I just had a thought there. What if she really gets to read this? Well, I don't care. That would be you are back, and that's what I want more than anything. More than anything El. You have to know that. I'd take a punch in the face from Troy every single day, if I thought I could see you again. Don't tell that mouthbreather I said that!
Ok, I guess I should end this now. We are all sad that you are… not here. I'm just going to come right out and say it. I'll probably cry myself to sleep tonight. Wimpy right?
I miss you lots El,
Your friend Mike.
The tears were flowing freely down El's cheeks.
I've never had a friend like Mike. Why is he so special?
El was about to find out.
