To Hawkins

They loaded up the carts, Mike suggesting that for a few days Lucas pull Max in one of the carts. They managed to make it as comfortable as possible for her. Mike said it would only be for a few days, until Max could walk without pain.

The first day, Max tried to stand on her foot, she had an arm around Mike and Lucas, and El stood in front offering encouragement.

She was able to walk for about half an hour and then back on the cart. After a few days of that schedule, Max was able to walk the entire day.

Lucas was relieved, and Mike was super relieved. There was no way they could have done anything if she had required surgery.

One day El and Max were farther ahead for "girl talk". Max had told the guys talk baseball or something.

"Mike," Lucas said.

Mike could tell something was on his mind.

"Um, I know we don't know each other very well. Everything I know about you I learned from Max."

"Is there a problem?" Mike asked giving Lucas a sidelong glance.

"You and Max weren't a thing where you? She talks about you all the time. You are her hero, you know that? It's tough competition."

"We aren't competing for Max, Lucas. Max and I are just really good friends. You aren't the first to ask this, even before civilization did it's disappearing act. Both of us constantly fielded questions about our relationship." Mike laughed.

"You will never have a better friend than Max, Lucas. And if you are more than a friend to her, well, Max deserves to be happy. I was never going to be that kind of friend to Max.

"I want to be the kind of friend to her, that you are. Your a hard guy to follow Mike. I can't believe you didn't have a ton of friends."

Lucas looked at Mike taking in everything he was saying.

"I have three friends now. The count is going up. World had to end before it happened… I'm ok with that. I have El now. I'd wait through five world endings for her."

Mike could see Max walking back towards he and Lucas.

"Switch it up, Mike, you're girl needs to talk to you." Mike gave Lucas and Max a big smile and jogged up to where El was walking.

Mike caught up beside her and their hands found each other.

"Lucas seemed worried, back there." El said.

"He was a little worried that Max and I still had something going on."

"Still?"

"Yeah, that's just it, we never did. He could be a little jealous of the friendship we have, it's a close one, but- wait… El, you don't think Max and I were together right?

"No, Mike, Max made sure I understood a few weeks ago. He's not the only one who was jealous. I know that you are a really good friends with her. Lucas wants to be too, I can tell."

"Yeah, he said that to me while we were talking. Um, El?"

"Yes, MIke?"

"I need to kiss you." Mike leaned in and kissed her. "I love you El."

El put her hand over her heart, a little breathless and nodded.

The could hear Max yelling from back behind them, "get a tent."


"Uh, Mike?" Lucas said, "looks like we're coming up on a town, I'm going to scout ahead, I'm quick on my feet so I can go out fast enough and be back again before you guys walk too far. I'll only be half an hour, an hour tops."

"I'm coming with you," Max said.

"Not on that ankle you're not." Lucas say. Max didn't question his determined look.

"You come back to me Lucas Sinclair, or I'm going to pissed."

Neither MIke or El could hide their smile. "You heard her, Lucas."

It was almost an three hours before they could see three figures in this distance farther down the highway.

Max was practically in tears. She barely managed to say, "I hope one of those is Lucas."

When it was obvious that one of the figures was Lucas, Max ran to him crying.

After a few minutes, they were all standing together, Max was holding on to Lucas's arm. No indication she would let go anytime soon.

Lucas said, "meet Dustin Henderson and his girlfriend Stacey."

There was a round of shaking hands. "Where are you walking from?" Mike asked Dustin.

"A place I moved to last year near the end of the school… called Hawkins."

Everyone else looked at each other.

"Except for Lucas, we're from Hawkins, we all agreed to head back. You're welcome to join us." Mike looked back the way they came.

"You can't really keep on this road, burning city back there, you need to take an alternate route."

"Shit. We'll find a new route. I have maps and a compass. Stacey and I found last winter in Hawkins brutal. Don't want to do that again."

"If you change your mind, you know where to find us."

They said their goodbyes, and each party continue on in opposite directions.

They walked side by side. "Too bad they didn't want to go back," Lucas siad

"If he was new to Hawkins, he doesn't really have any roots there. I didn't recognize Stacey, so I'm guessing she moved there about the same time.

Lucas asked the group, "do you think we should have tried a little harder to persuade them to stick with us. It's lonely on the road."

"He has Stacey," Mike said. "That might be all he needs", he looked at El who smiled back.

The sun was getting low on the horizon and they all thought it would be a good time to set up camp. They found a thick group of trees off the side of the highway, that would keep them out of sight in case there was anyone passing by. They had no reason to start watching in shifts, but they hadn't expected to run into two more people today either.

They sat around the campfire in comfortable silence. Max was holding on to Lucas. Mike had his arm around El's waist.

"This is peaceful," Lucas said quietly.

There were no sirens. No big city noises. No small town noises. Nothing. It wasn't warm enough yet for the sound of crickets.

"Mmm." Mike agreed. A few minutes later. "I've never been able to stay up late.. I think I'm done for the day…"

El immediately stirred ready to head back to their tent.

The sleeping arrangements had changed. Max and Lucas in his tent, and El stayed with Mike. Mike remembered telling Max that he didn't care if they used two or one sleeping bags, but El would be in his sleeping bag so they didn't need to feel guilty if they wanted to be closer. Nobody had any issue with changes.

El was snuggled up against Mike, her head on his shoulder. He had his arms around her. "Does it bother you that Dustin and Stacey didn't want to join us?" She asked.

"A little," Mike said, "I would have thought they'd want the extra company or new friends. I think they were about the same age as us, so it's not like we wouldn't have had anything in common."

"Maybe Stacey has more influence on him. Some guys will do anything for their girl," El said squeezing his waist.

"You could be right, I know I would, " Mike squeezed her back. "I'm following you around now El, wherever you want to go."

"We go back home. We can deal with the winter."

A few minutes later, Mike felt something hot and wet on his neck. El sniffed.

"You ok, El?" Mike said immediately concerned.

"Tears of joy, Mike. I'm happier than I've ever been in my entire life. I can't believe I'm with you."

Mike squeezed her tighter. "Me too, El. I miss the conveniences of civilization a little bit, but I'd give that up for this," he kissed the top of her forehead, "any day." El snuggled up a little closer and gave him a contented sigh. They fell asleep that way.


"Uh, Mike, can you and El come out here." Was the first thing Mike heard in the morning.

He couldn't hear any warnings in Lucas voice, so he wasn't too worried.

Mike crawled out of the tent with El a few seconds behind him.

Lucas and Max were sitting by the campfire across from Dustin and Stacey.

Mike raised his eyebrows.

"We didn't get very far. Stacey wanted to go back. We both wanted friends, so here we are."

El went over and hugged both of them.

"Strength in numbers." Lucas said to Dustin.

"I think we can make it to Hawkins by sunset" Mike said.

All told it had taken them a little over month to walk back to Hawkins. The sun was just setting when they hit the outskirts of town.

"Oh, oh." Mike said halting everyone in their tracks.

"What's wrong?" Lucas said.

"The lights are on."