Enjoy!

HAWKINS, INDIANA, -SEPTEMBER 7th, 1989

Dustin was quickly trying to climb up the hill. He had to get to Cerebro for the last time (for the year, at least). Today was a special day. He knew Suzie couldn't be there in person, but the least he could do was say Happy Birthday. Every year, she'd casually wait by the radio, pretending that she didn't know Dustin was there. Then she'd excitedly talk to her boyfriend about her day and the gifts her family got her. Even as they got older, the excitement they had for one another and their conversations grew. Dustin hoped it would never end.

"Suzie?" he asked as he got onto the radio, a smile on his face," I would have been here sooner to wish my Suziepoo a happy birthday, but it was the first day of senior year."

The radio was silent. Dustin knew she was playing her usual game. He waited patiently, despite the silence being a little bit longer than usual. No matter, he would wait forever, if it meant getting to hear her voice. After another minute, he heard the static coming through. He hopped on the dial and adjusted it slightly.

"Dustin?" she asked softly.

She never really referred to the boy by his first name. It was always her cute little nickname that came through. Dustin tried not to overthink it as he sat in the grass. He wished her a happy birthday, and got a short 'thanks' as a reply. He knew something was wrong- though he hoped he was just overreacting.

"So," he asked," What did you do today? Did you have your favorite kind of cake?"

"Dustin," she said," I need to tell you something. This is the last time I'm gonna be talking on Cerebro."

"It's my last time too!" he exclaimed," Until summer, that is. I'm not sure how I'm gonna do it in college, but I'll find a way, Suziepoo, I promise."

"No, Dustin, this is my last time on Cerebro."

Dustin was confused for a minute. Then it clicked in his mind. He stayed quiet for a minute, listening to the silence and static. He didn't know what to say or think. He couldn't hear Suzie, until she said she was sorry. That she had to go to college away from Utah and didn't know when she'd come back for it.

"Will I ever hear from you again?" he asked quickly.

"I..I don't know," she admitted," There's just...there's so much to think about. And I don't want to leave because I still.."

"Still what?"

The radio went silent. Dustin waited for her reply for what seemed like ages. Until he figured it out. He begged Suzie not to go, that they could still talk somehow. He talked of a life they could lead and the places they could go. If only she would stay. But when the response was only static, Dustin leaned back on the grass. He was trying not to cry, but it was pretty damn hard. After all, he just lost the love of his life.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 2019

"Now remember," Professor Henderson told his students," This is about to be the coolest thing you guys have ever seen. So hold on!"

Dustin watched as his students walked up before him. The Radio Science majors were a fun group, he'd found out, as the years went on. His love for science and technology came out in his job. He never had a dull moment in his field, and today was no different. As soon as they reached the top of the building, feeling the warm March sun and the cool breezes of Boston, they were taken over to a nearby sheet. The students gathered with anticipation and watched as their professor grabbed the sheet and smiled at his students.

"Are you ready?"

With their approval, Dustin ripped the sheet back. The students looked at the radio with deep fascination. This was the Cerebro they'd been hearing about all year. It was the reason they had pen pals at the beginning of the year. Dustin smiled at the amazement in his students' eyes.

"Now," he said," To get an A on this assignment, all you need to do is come up, put in the right coordinates, and try to contact your pen pal. Don't worry if you can't get to them- their radios might not be working. Jennifer, why don't you go first?"

The bubbly redhead smiled as she bounced to the front. She pulled out a sheet of paper and turned the dials in all different directions. Dustin watched her as she grabbed the microphone and stared at the radio.

"Hans?" she asked.

"...Is this Jennifer?" A boy on the other side asked.

The kids became excited as they wished to have a turn. Dustin appreciated their enthusiasm as they crowded around Cerebro. He was pleased with himself for making such a device at such a young age. Yet, as all the students watched their classmates play with the radio, he felt a missing piece. He couldn't get figure out what it was until he stared at the radio, watching a student of his and a girl from Japan sing. When he figured it out, he went quiet and waited until the students all left before he approached the radio. The sounds of the city took over as he sighed and kneeled down. He grabbed the microphone and took a deep breath before…

"Suzie, this is Dustin, do you copy?"

A shot in the dark, if he was honest, but he needed to know if she was out there. And he had a feeling that she was.

"I just want you to know that I never forgot about you," he admitted," I know you had to leave but I did to. I got away from Hawkins because I needed a new adventure. After that fall, I've craving something outside of my hometown. I know, it's a cool place, but I couldn't…I know you're not there, but I wanted you to know that I still care. I'm so glad we met Suzie, I miss you."

Silence he was familiar with. Dustin knew he couldn't get to her, but it was worth a shot. As he set the microphone aside, static started to rise. He paused as he heard a voice trying to come through. The professor adjusted the dials and listened in closely. These were local coordinates he'd put in.

"Dustin?" the voice asked.

Dustin couldn't believe his ears.

"Suzie!" he exclaimed with a smile," Oh my gosh! You're on Cerebro!"

"Dustin!" the woman said," I never thought I'd hear from you again."

"Same here," he said as he sat cross-legged on the ground," How long has it been? Thirty years? Wow, it's been forever. How have you been?"

"I'm great!" Suzie said," Oh Dustin, we have so much to catch up on. It seems that you're local."

"I'm at Boston University," He explained," I teach there now."

Suzie sounded happy for Dustin. He listened to her praises, then they decided to meet up. Seven o'clock at Bella Donna's Pizza. They insisted they bring each other's family, but they didn't tell the truth.

"So who is Suzie again?"

The pizza parlor was near empty and Dustin didn't mind. He was patiently waiting for Suzie but he was too excited. His teenage son, Dennis, was curious about Suzie. He'd only known about the mysterious woman for only a few days. His father insisted that he and his little sister Mary meet the woman. They were curious, but hopeful. With their mother gone, the two were hoping to have a new role model in their lives. Dustin, meanwhile, nervously watched as a woman and a boy walked through the door. The boy looked about Dennis's age and the mom...the smile was a dead ringer. They locked eyes as the woman approached with her son in tow. The adults couldn't stop smiling.

"Dustin," she said," Its so great to see you. Dustin, this is my son, Jake."

Dustin shook the young man's hand and introduced his children. Before their meals, the two talked about their love for college and how much they'd missed each other. How their spouses had been gone and that they'd been raising their children alone for a long while. But together, they were happy, and went back right where they left off.