They're here

December 26, 1984

"Are you sure?" El asked biting her lip worriedly as she looked up at Mike's house, the colorful Christmas lights catching in the gray sunlight.

"It's going to be fine," Mike said his breath fogging up in the air like her own, "It's not the first time you've been to my house after all."

"But it's the first time I'm meeting your parents."

"So?" Mike asked, not understanding why she was so nervous.

"What if they think I'm weird?" El asked.

Mike made a face, "They already think I'm weird so you'll be normal compared to me," Mike said and saw the little smile playing on her lips at his words. "Plus, even if they do it just means your cooler than everyone else," he said and opened the door pulling her into the warmth of his house.

"Mom I have someone for you to meet," Mike called out taking off his jacket and hung it up with the others on the rack before he helped El with her's.

"I'm in the kitchen," they heard her call out.

El followed after Mike as they stepped into the clean kitchen.

"Mike what were you shouting abou-" his mom started as she turned away from the stove but cut herself off when she saw El.

"Oh hello," she said, surprise in her voice as she looked down and Mike realized he was still holding her hand.

He quickly pulled away his hand, his cheeks burning, "Mom this is El. She just moved here to live with Hopper."

"Well, it's nice to meet you El. I hadn't heard of anyone moving in, " his mom said, confused but still put a smile on all the same.

"I'm his niece," El said and quickly told her cover story and Mike's mom's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mother, I'll have to bring a casserole over but I'm happy to hear that you'll be taken care of. Hopper is a good man."

El nodded, a shy smile on her pale face.

"Hey Mike, Dustin is looking for you," Nancy said coming into the kitchen but stopped when she saw El, a little surprised.

"Nancy this is Mike's…Friend?" his mom said unsure.

"It's nice to meet you El," Nancy said hiding her smile as she shook her hand.

"Will you be staying for dinner?" Mike's mom asked.

"No, my curfew is at six," El answered, "Hopper will be picking me up."

"Mike!" Dustin called from downstairs.

"Gotta go," Mike said and without thinking grabbed El's hand and pulled her down the basement stairs.

Mike's mom looked after them a moment with a raised eyebrow.

"Was that a girl?"

Mrs. Wheeler turned to find her husband drinking a cup of coffee looking after his son.

"I'm going to take a bath," she said tiredly rolling her eyes at her husband's bluntness.

"There you are," Dustin said.

"Took you long enough," Max said from where she was sitting next to Will and Lucas.

"Hey it's not my fault my mom talks a lot," Mike said leading El over to a chair and she saw that wrapped gifts sat next to it.

"Sit down," Mike said taking a spot next to the others.

El did as she was told and sat, finding everyone looking at her. "What's going on?" she asked slowly, looking at them.

"What do you mean?" Max asked, "It's Christmas!"

"You do know what Christmas is right?" Lucas asked.

"I know," El said, "It's a day where people give each other gifts and eat too much."

"Well, you're missing some info there but close enough," Dustin said as he got up and grabbed some boxes and handed them to her.

She looked down at them then back at her friends, "I didn't get you guys anything."

"Don't worry about that," Mike said, "It's your first Christmas with us after all."

"Yeah and you can just make up for it next year," Lucas said.

"LUCAS!" Max said and hit him in the arm, giving him a look of death before she shook her head and looked at El, "Here open mine first."

Max reached out and handed her a box wrapped in green.

El unwrapped it and found a small box of something called nail polish.

"What is it?" El asked looking up at her.

"You use it to paint your nails," Max said, "I'll show you later."

"Thanks," El said a little confused as to why someone would want to put paint on their nails, but it was nice all the same.

She opened one gift after another. Dustin gave her a few books that he himself enjoyed. Will gave her art supplies and Lucas gave her some comics about people called the X-Men.

"Thank you all so much," El said.

"Now it's just Mike left," Max said looking at him.

"Don't you guys want to start setting up D&D or something," Mike said and El saw that his cheeks had turned pink.

"We're not missing this for anything," Lucas said.

Mike rolled his eyes but handed her a small box.

She unwrapped it to find a cassette tape marked with "El's mixtape."

"What's a mixtape?" El asked.

"It's a tape with songs I thought you would like," Mike answered.

"What kind of songs?" El asked.

"You'll just have to listen and see," Mike said.

El smiled down at the little tape excited to see what was waiting on it.

"Can we play D&D now? Will asked.

"Yeah," Mike said and got up going over to the table that held they're bored.

"Want me to paint your nails," Max asked.

El nodded still holding on to the tape.

Mike

July 12, 1985

"Michael, you better get up or you'll miss breakfast," Mike heard his mother call from downstairs. Mike rolled his eyes from where he stood by his dresser. Already having gotten dressed in his normal jeans and a yellow t-shirt.

"Michael!" He heard his mother call once more.

"I'm coming!" Mike called back as he opened his door and started downstairs. He went into the kitchen to find his mother putting a plate of pancakes down in front of Holly. Nancy and His dad were already eating.

His dad was reading the newspaper, and Mike couldn't help but notice the front page showed a photo of Hopper, the words "HERO" over it.

"Mike sit down and eat your breakfast before it gets cold," his mom said sitting down next to Holly taking the syrup from her before she could pour the whole thing on her food.

Mike did as he was told and sat down but he didn't take his eyes away from the photo.

"Did you hear the first funeral is being held today?" Ted said flipping to the next page.

Mrs. Wheeler shook her head, "I still can't believe it. I mean I've never heard of a fire starting in a movie theater like that."

Mike shot Nancy a look, they both knew the cover story by heart. They had to tell it over so many times now.

They had all decided to go to see the last showing of Back to the future before going to the fair that night. The movie was just about to end when a fire started somewhere in the film room, but by the time anyone knew it, it was too late. He, Nancy and the others had been the first one to get out with cuts and bruises from the panic and Mike would let his mom believe that was how El got hurt later that night at the hospital. He would tell them that Hopper had been the first to get to the scene and go in trying to save the others who hadn't made it out yet, but the fire had spread faster then anyone could have guessed.

"I'm just happy you all made it out," his mom said taking a long drink from her coffee. "How is El by the way?"

"She's doing okay. She's coming tonight to watch movies with everyone," Mike answered, "Which reminds me can you get a few things from the store?"

"Of course," his mom said pulling the cup of coffee Holly was trying to get away from her.

"Great, "Mike said and pulled a small list from his back pocket and handed it to her.

She took it with a raised eyebrow and read it for a moment.

"Why do you need two boxes of eggos and three cans of whipped cream?" she asked.

"It's for El," Mike said, "I think it will make her feel better."

His mother let out a sigh but a small smile crossed her lips. "Fine if it's for El," his mom said, "I can't imagine what she's going through right now."

Mike looked down, she didn't even know the half of it.

"Do you know when they will hold Hoppers' funeral?" she asked.

"It's going to be the last one held," Nancy answered, "I read it was at the end of the month."

His mother nodded, "I wonder when they're holding Billy's."

Mike made a face at that but didn't say anything.

He finished his food as fast as he could before he headed for the basement. He went over to a box and took out an empty cassette tape and took it over to his radio. He popped the tape in as he turned on the switch.

The sound of Take On Me by A-ha rang around the room.

"We're talking away

I don't know what

I'm to say I'll say it anyway

Today's another day to find you

Shying away

I'll be coming for your love, okay?"

Mike quickly hit record thinking El would like it. For the past few days, he had been spending hours and hours down here listening to the radio and recording songs that he believed El would enjoy, would smile at.

He knew that El was going through a hard time with Hopper's death, moving, and hoped that even if it was for a moment she could forget about it when she listened to it.

He spent the next few hours sitting by the radio hitting record on Money for Nothing by Dire Straits, Crazy for You by Madonna and lastly The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News.

"It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes.

But it might just save your life

That's the power of love

That's the power of love"

"Mike I'm back from the store," Mike heard his mom call from upstairs, "Can you come and help me put this stuff up."

"Coming," Mike shouted back and hit the stop button and took out the tape and wrote the new songs on the back. He now had eleven songs. He looked at it a moment more before he put it in his pocket as he ran back upstairs.

"Did you get everything I asked for?" Mike asked looking into the brown paper bags pulling out the boring things like shampoo and bread and put them to the side.

"I have it here," his mom said with a sigh, "Melvald's General was crazy busy today after the mall fire it looks like the other stores will be reopening again soon."

"That's great," Mike said taking the bag from his mom and looked to see boxes of all kinds of candy, bags of popcorn, and most importantly eggos and whipped cream.

"Joyce was busy which I'm sure she's happy about," his mom said and picked up Holly and placed her down on the counter handing her a small cookie, probably because she had been good at the store. "I was scared she was thinking of moving."

Mike stopped dead at her words almost dropping the box of eggos.

"What do you mean moving?" Mike asked, "They would never move away."

His mom gave him a soft look, the look that said he was nothing but a child so he wouldn't understand as she just shook her head and opened the cabinet putting up a box of cereal.

Mike shook his head back at her turned back, how could she say something so crazy. The Byers couldn't, wouldn't move away from Hawkins.

Mike spent the rest of the afternoon getting everything ready for the movie night placing the bowl of snacks out along with coke.

Next, he went over and looked at the movies his mom had rented. The Terminator seemed like a good one to start the night out with. The Poltergeist could be second then The goonies and Nancy could watch her sixteen candles last.

Mike popped The Terminator into the VCR just as the doorbell sounded from upstairs. Mike looked up and heard his mom open the door, then a second later Max, Lucas, Dustin Steve, and that girl... Robin was her name came downstairs.

"Hey," Dustin said going over to where Mike stood and picked up one of the VHS cases and looked at it, "Which one are we watching first?"

"The Terminator," Mike said taking the case, "Why is she here?"

"You mean Robin?" Dustin asked grabbing the Poltergeist case and started to read it.

"Yeah, why did you bring her?"

"Well, when I invited Steve he asked if he could bring her with since she didn't have anything to do," Dustin answered.

"Is she with Steve?" Mike asked looking over to see Steve laughing at something she said.

Dustin looked over as well and narrowed his eyes a moment, "I have no idea actually."

"She knows about El right? That she can't talk about it with anyone else," Make asked, knowing that more people who knew about El meant more danger it put her in.

"Of course she does," Dustin said looking back to the pile of VHS's, "You know if we want to see if Steve and Robin are together we should watch this first," Dustin said holding up Poltergeist.

"Why?" Mike asked making a face in confusion.

"The hideaway," Dustin answered.

"The what? Mike asked.

"You know," Dustin said.

"No, I don't."

"Lucas came here," Dustin called, making him turn away from where he was talking to Max and joined them.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You know what The hideaway is right?"

"Of course, who doesn't," Lucas answered easily.

"What are you talking about!" Mike said getting frustrated now.

"You really need to read more," Dustin said.

"Just explain," Mike said.

"It's when a girl gets scared by a movie and hides her face in their boyfriend's arm or shoulder," Lucas said finally.

"Suzie did it to me when we were watching gremlins at camp, it was when I knew we were together. "

"Max has only ever done it to me once, it was the best feeling in the world."

"Haven't you and El ever watched a horror movie?" Dustin asked.

"Her life has kinda been a horror movie so no," Mike said and both Dustin and Lucas looked down at that.

"Well let's just see if Robin does it," Dustin said.

"When are the others going to be here anyway?" Lucas asked.

Mike looked up at the clock and saw it was four pm, "They should be here anyt-" his words were cut off as the doorbell upstairs rang.

Mike made a break for the stairs and made it to the living room just in time to find his mom opening the door for El, Will and Jonathan.

El walked over to him and he was happy to see she wasn't limping as much anymore.

"Hey," El said in her soft voice.

"Hey," Mike said just as softly, "Ready to watch some movies?"

"Yeah," El said with the little smile that always made his heartbeat that little bit faster.

"Jonathan let's go upstairs," Nancy said grabbing his hand.

"We're not going to watch the movies?" he asked.

Nancy rolled her eyes as a smile played at her lips as she leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Mike watched his cheeks go pink as Nancy grabbed his hand and pulled him upstairs.

"What are we watching?" Will asked joining them as they started downstairs.

"Were watching Poltergeist first," Mike said wrapping an arm around El's waist to make sure she didn't fall and he wasn't going to lie it felt amazing to have his arm around her. After July 4th it been terrifying to almost lose her to that monster, but they were here together now and nothing could change that.

He let go of her then as they stepped off the last step and she went over to the chair as he went and popped in the Poltergeist wondering if El would do that "hideaway" thing or if the life she'd lived so far would make it seem like childs play.

Grabbing the remote he sat down next to El as everyone found their spots and got comfortable.

Mike hit play and grabbed a bowl of popcorn.

"They're here."

The girl that looked weirdly similar to Holly said. Mike ate a piece of popcorn and looked over to where Robin and Steve sat and saw Steve whispering something to her and she whispered something back.

Mike looked over at Dustin and raised an eyebrow in question. Dustin raised one back in answer, they had been friends long enough to understand just a look.

Mike: What do you think? Are they together?

Dustin: I don't know yet, we need to keep watching.

Mike nodded and kept watching the movie.

"Oh gross," Steve said as a skeleton popped out of the water in the muddy pool and the woman screamed as she tried to getaway.

"You think that's gross?" Robin said, "After what we've seen in real life?"

"For all we know it could be a real skeleton!" Steve said and Robin let out a laugh.

Mike looked over at Lucas and Max then and couldn't help a smile when he saw Lucas was hiding his face in Max's arm. He would have a fun time reminding him of that later.

The movie went on until it was the final battle against the Poltergeist. Mike had looked to see Robin and Steve still watching but nothing more, maybe they really were just friends.

"Mike."

Mike turned and looked down at El to see she had gone pale.

"What's wrong?" Mike asked softly. Was this movie too much for her?

"Could that really happen?"

"What do you mean?" Mike asked.

"The Poltergeist. Could it really happen? Can things come back and haunt you?"

Mike felt concerned go through him at her words. At the fear in her eyes. "No. No this is just a movie, things like this can't really happen."

"What-what if they do?"

"Then you're crazy," Lucas said.

"Crazy?" El asked, watching as the family drove away as fast as they could from the exploding house.

The credits rolled then and Mike got up. "Ready for some eggos before the next movie?"

El nodded the word crazy going around and around in her head as they headed upstairs.

Mike went over to the fridge and took out a box of eggos and whipped cream.

El watched as he popped a few waffles in the toaster. "Mike what does crazy mean?"

Mike turned to her, "Crazy?"

She nodded.

"It means someone is mentally deranged like Dr. Banner."

"You mean Papa?" El asked.

"Yeah, that guy was nuts for what he did to you."

"What happens when you're crazy?" El asked.

"Some people get better and some people just get crazier," Mike said as the toaster popped and he grabbed the waffles putting them on the plate before topping them with almost the whole can of whipped cream.

El bit her lip wondering if she was the kind that got better or the kind that got worse. She let out a breath and looked up to tell Mike what she had been seeing but stopped her eyes going wide. Billy stood next to Mike a wicked smile cross his lips. "Go ahead and tell him, ruin this day for them. They'll just think your crazy anyway they can't see a thing."

El watched as Billy stood in front of Mike, watched as he reached out a hand, watched it go through him like nothing. "Nothing, they see nothing, they feel nothing. It's only you who have to see us, after all it's your fault. "

"El you okay?"

She looked up at Mike and put on a smile. "Yeah I'm a little tired is all."

"Well you won't have to worry about that soon, this has enough sugar to wake you up," Mike said.

El looked down at the whipped cream covered waffles, bits of candy all over it.

"It looks amazing," El said.

"Ready to go watch another movie?" Mike asked.

She nodded as he picked up the plate and they turned away from the wicked face of Billy who still watched her. She couldn't tell them, after all what could they do about something that wasn't really there?

AN/

Alright, hope you guys liked this chapter it was a fun one to write with the song and movie references much like stranger things does in real life. (foreshadowing is soo fun ;D ) But the next chapter will be a bit darker as we really get going. As always thanks for reading, it means a lot to me. If you want to review and give me your thoughts and or any criticism on what I could do better or just that you liked it please feel free, it always helps.