..Particle wave collapse commencing
Max sat on the edge of Mike's bed. "You going to get up? It's almost noon."
"No."
"Mike…," she sighed. "If nothing else you promised to watch while I finished the last part of my experiment. You aren't going to break your promise to me are you."
"You know I wouldn't do that Max."
"You are depressed Mike, I'm not sure I can help. But… you can tell me which Eleven you love?"
"All of them."
"That's not what I meant, what if the twelve year old Eleven was standing here right now."
Mike was silent.
"I need an answer Mike, which one do you want to sleep beside?"
"The twelve year old Mike, loves the twelve year old Eleven. The thirteen year old Mike, loves the thirteen year Eleven. Same with the rest of the ages. I'm twenty-seven, I love the twenty-seven year old version of her. But if I was twelve, I would love all of them."
"Why did I think I'd get a simple answer." Max shook her head. " Here's a little reality for you. You can't have any of them They only exist in your mind, and in a story. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Tough love and all that. Build a bridge and get over it Mike. I'm here for you, but you have to get over it."
...sub particle 1 - collapsing
...Eleven crawled through the dirty tunnel. She was cold and she was cared. She was always cold and scared. She wished for warm clothes, a warm, safe place to sleep, and someone nice to be with. Someone who wouldn't make her do horrible things to animals. Someone who actually liked her.
She didn't want to be in the tunnel, but it was the only way she'd been able to escape the bath, the lab people… and Papa. She realized now, he had always been mean to her. He was only happy with her when she did what he wanted.
She saw a dim light up ahead and before she knew it her face was up against pressed against a metal grate. She couldn't crawl any farther. She saw the outside. She had only ever seen it in picture books. Even though the tunnel smelled bad, she could smell the fresh air beyond it.
And she wanted more. She used her ability to bend the grate back, she stepped out side, still cold and scared but now she was wet and dirty.
"There you are." A soft voice said from beside her. Even the voice sounded friendly, she jumped, and almost hurt him.
She was glad she didn't. He was smiling at her. A real smile. He held out clothes.
"Warm track pants, Warm sweater, wool socks, and some old runners of mine. Oh and this jacket. We'll get you some better clothes once we get to the cabin."
"I put these on?" She brought them up to her cheek. He was right, they were warm. And soft.
"I'll turn around so you can change. Don't worry, I won't look."
She changed very fast, and could already feel her body heating up the clothes.
The boy looked at her. He was cute. "Don't worry Eleven. I know who you are. I know what they did. I am going to keep you safe. Oh… one thing."
He turned to her, "You are really pretty," he leaned in and kissed her. She was surprised, her eyes widened and she tried to smile at him.
"Um, I really like you Eleven. I'll explain everything that I can. Come on." He grabbed her hand, it was so warm she almost cried.
She would follow this boy anywhere.
Anywhere.
...sub particle 2 - collapsing
…"MIke!"
El was frantic, she was in the Upside Down. Running through the school hallways. She was wearing the pink dress. Dirty and torn now, Mike's blue jacket was keeping her warm.
The Mind Flayer's vines were running through the walls and ceiling. She called Mike's name over and over, but he wouldn't be in the Upside Down, he was safe… well mostly safe for now.
She saw a light peaking through the wall and ran to it. She used her ability to tear through the slimey vines and escape the Upside down once again.
She crawled through the evil portal and landed on the floor, covered in the slime, hurting and hurting and crying.
She needed Mike.
She felt his arms pulling her into a tight hug. "I've got you," he said.
The love she felt for him was all encompassing, her heart almost burst when he said, "I love you Eleven. I'll always be here for you." El thought she would faint, she loved Mike so much.
"I love you too Mike."
-sub particle 3 - collapsing
"If you're out there, just, please, give me a sign."
"Mike," she said softly.
"Eleven?"
He couldn't see her but somehow he knew she was there! She didn't want to try and touch him because she knew it would disturb her vision in the Void.
But she couldn't help it, she loved him so much she needed to touch him.
"I will find a way to get to you Eleven. I promise. I will change the fabric of the universe to be with you again."
The tears streamed down her face, matching his.
She hung her heart on Mike's promise.
...sub particle Mike… collapsing...
...sub particle Eleven… collapsing…
XXXXX
"Mike, honey? Can you zip me up?" It sounded like it was coming from Mike's bedroom.
Mike and Max looked at each other wide eyed. Both frowning. Eleven seconds earlier they had both felt like puking, once the experiment indicated it had finished.
"Who's that?" Max mouthed, then whispered, "Did you bring a girl over without telling me? We had a deal about bringing people here… even though I live here for free." She gave Mike a half smile.
Mike held up his hand, indicating that she should stay where she was sitting at the breakfast nook.
Mike softly walked to his bedroom.
He saw her.
There was no mistaking who she was. Her long blondish chunked hair looked like it was caught in the zipper of her dress. She saw the gentle curve of her body as it flowed from her shoulders to her legs. He saw her bare back just above the zipper.
Mike's throat closed. He didn't know if he could talk. His vision blurred, and he managed to barely squeak out her name, "Eleven?"
She turned around and gave him smile that would have floored a hardened criminal. Her brown eyes turned his knees to mush. He was barely able to get to the edge of the bed to sit down.
Heavy tear drops flowed down his face.
She went from smiling to almost crying when she saw him, "Mike? Hun? What's wrong… Mike!"
She quickly sat close beside him and gave him crushing hug. "I'm here, baby. It's ok."
He barely managed to say, "I love you, Eleven."
"Oh Mike, honey, I love you too. It's ok. What's going on?" She was rocking him back and forth.
He put his arms around her and hugged her back. He cried on her shoulder. The kind of deep crying that only immense loss could bring on. She didn't know what was happening with him. All Eleven really knew was that she could feel the love coming from him. It was powerful. It was universal. It was heady, she wanted to drown in it.
At that moment Eleven knew that dying was nothing. Losing Mike's love was a far worse fate than anything she could think of. She thought this is what it's like to have a soulmate. Someone who you would love forever, someone who loved you forever.
Mike had physically taken care of her since she was twelve.
Mike had taken care of her heart forever. She had no doubt her in mind.
Her heart loved his.
"You ok in there?" A woman's voice said.