Eleven Nightingale
"I've seen this before." El said to Max.
"We have to keep them warm. They will have a fever, but they will be cold most of the time."
"Won't you get it?" Max asked El, worried. She did not want to be alone again if it all went to hell.
"I've already had it. I'll be ok, I'm getting into Mike's sleeping bag. You will have to… get in there with Lucas. I hope that's ok, it's the only way. Or.." El looked back at Mike's tent, "...we can switch and you can keep Mike warm, and I'll take Lucas."
"No you stay with Mike… for how long? What if we don't keep them warm? I'm scared, El," Max said, she tried to disguise how worried she was. She knew she hadn't succeeded when El came over and hugged her. Max was way out of her element, Mike had always taken care of basic survival details even though he had taught her a lot.
"If we don't keep them warm, they will be… gone. Everything will be ok as long as we keep them warm."
El split up the food and water between the two of them, and said to Max, "Keep him warm."
El entered Mike's tent, zipped closed and got into the sleeping bag with Mike. He was already shivering…"C-cold" Mike managed to say.
"I'll keep you warm Mike," El said into his ear. "I'll keep you warm." She zipped the sleeping bag all way way, up, and scooted up next time him making contact with her entire body. She flushed thinking about being this close to Mike. She knew that now as no time for feeling shy, Mike had to be kept warm. It was well into the night before his shivering stopped.
She knew the fever was next. She hoped Max and Lucas were ok in their tent.
"You have beautiful eyes." Mike said. El knew he was delirious now, still, she could feel the heat radiating off her face.
Mike began to ramble. "I can't even look at you without being lost in your eyes. You have beautiful eyes. Has anybody ever told you that? You should be told that everyday. It's like I've loved you for a thousand years and I'd recognize those eyes anywhere in time. Those are the eyes of a flawless spirit. I'm sorry I took so long. I took way too long, even when I knew. I didn't mean to take that long El. Don't give up on me. I don't want to lose you. I've lost too many people already. I'm just afraid to lose you too."
"You won't lose me, Mike. You never have to be afraid of losing me. I promise."
Mike had continued on for at least another hour. He told her he loved her. A few times. A dozen times. Closer to a hundred times. El had to stop herself from crying each time. She told him she loved him too, each time. The fever was reaching its peak and she was sure that Mike didn't know or mean what he was saying, it was the fever talking. El was sure. She didn't want to believe it was only the fever talking. She wanted to believe that some of Mike was getting through and letting her know of his true feelings. But she knew it was the fever. She also knew that she meant what she herself had said. Each and every time.
"Even if you don't remember Mike, know that I love you." She held him tight. She fell asleep with her head on his shoulder, tears still in her eyes.
There were no nightmares.
"Thirsty…" Mike managed to croak out.
El was ready and quickly screwed off the cap of his canteen, and held his head up so he could drink.
"I need to sit up." El helped him sit up in his sleeping bag. His hair was a mess. A gorgeous mess, El thought.
"Uh, I smell."
"I like your smell." Mike sniffed himself, "ugh, not this you don't."
"Mike… I've been next to it all night. I like your smell." She looked into his eyes. Mike looked back, nodded and smiled.
"I, um, said some things when I was...uh, last night."
"It's ok Mike, that particular fever will do that." El looked down.
"No, you don't understand, El. I knew what I was saying. The fever just let me say it without hesitation or sounding like I was a total wasteoid. And I meant it, El. Every. Single. Word."
"Oh… Mike..." El leaned into him and gave him a unyielding hug. "I did too Mike."
Mike hugged her back. "Thanks El, I think you saved my life."
He pulled back, looked into her eyes and tapped his fist over his heart, "you definitely saved this. I know I'm not that old but I didn't realize how long it's been hollow. I guess I've been waiting for the right girl to take possession... it's all yours El."
El patted her own heart. "Mine has been yours for over a year."
Mike paused for a second and looked back and forth between El's eyes, "wow," he said and leaned in, kissed El softly. "Thank you, El... can't even..."
He took her hand and pressed it against his chest. El could feel his heart pounding. She looked at his eyes in wonder, her own eyes big and round. She took his hand and pressed it to her own thumping heart. "Same, Mike."
They sat like that for few minutes, not saying a word. No words were required. Their eyes and their beating hearts told each other everything their souls wanted to know.
Mike drew in a deep breath, gave El another kiss. "We should see if Lucas… and Max are ok."
Mike helped El out of the tent, and looked at her, "It's been really quiet over there." El looked a little worried.
Mike unzipped the tent slowly, quietly, trying not to make any noise. He peeked in, a little scared at what he might see.
El saw him pull his head out fast.
"What's wrong?" El's eyes had gone very wide.
Mike was red faced. "They're kissing." He whispered. "Um, let's give them a few minutes."
El smiled at Mike and nodded. She helped Mike build another fire.
A few minutes turned out to be almost forty-five minutes. Eventually Max and Lucas came out of the tent and sat by the fire. They were holding hands.
That didn't go unnoticed by either Mike or El. Mike's hand had found hers when they first sat side by side opposite Lucas's tent. Neither of them had let go while they waited. He squeezed her hand tight. El squeezed back without looking at him.
"So," Lucas said, "I think Max saved my life last night… what about you guys?"
Mike looked Lucas in the eye. "El saved me."
Lucas nodded back, "I know exactly what you mean." Mike had no way of knowing but Lucas had squeezed Max's hand.
"Mike, can I ask you a question?" Lucas said and thumbed behind him towards the burning city. Nobody could see it, but everyone knew what Lucas was referring to.
"What are we doing?"
"I thought I would try and make a better life for Max and I. It's no longer about the two of us... don't get me wrong, I would die for Max. No questions asked."
El smiled at him, then at Max.
Mike looked at El, she nodded for him to continue . "But I would die for El now too, in extreme pain if I knew it would save her… do you know what I mean Lucas?"
Lucas nodded. "I know what you mean… what do you want to do?"
"I want to go back to Hawkins." Mike looked between El and Max, then down at his feet.
Max and El looked at each other. A slight imperceptible nod was exchanged between them.
"We go back," Max said.
"To Hawkins." El finished.
