I'm sorry that it took me so long to update but here's the next chapter. If there's any specific way that you'd like the story to play out or if you have a problem with the way I write the characters please tell me. Read and review :)
"What's that" Mike asked cheerfully, pointed to something El had drew on an unused notepad that Mike had handed to her to keep her entertained while Hopper speaks with the hospital staff.
"N-nasty doctor" El replied hesitantly. Mike gave her a look of concern.
"Why are they nasty, what did they do El?" He questioned in a calm voice while tracing finger along her forearm, she seemed to like it when he did that. El glanced at him for a second before going back to her drawing, Mike was about to try and press further but he then noticed that the 'mean doctor' she had drawn was holding a long stick. Mike decided to keep quiet, it seemed to him that he'd get more information through her drawing, something he took a mental note of as it would probably be useful considering her little use of words. He observed her draw silently. El then drew another figure that was considerably much shorted than the one she'd drawn previously. Unlike the 'mean doctor' with his wide smile and no hair, the shorter figure had a big sad face drawn on. El picked up a blue colouring pencil and drew long blue lines coming from the small figure's eyes, they looked like tears. Mike decided that now was a good time to try and question her, not that she'd drawn enough to give Mike an idea of what seemed to be going on in her drawing.
"El baby?" Mike spoke up softly. He'd never called her 'baby' or any pet name before but he liked the way it sounded, 'babe' didn't sound right to him when referring to El, he didn't know why but her purity made it feel… not right. Not yet anyway.
"Yes Mike" She answered sweetly, un effected by the nickname, looking up at him with her pretty doe eyes.
"What's happening in your drawing?" He asked her. She then looked down, ignoring the question. Mike was about to press further before-
"So I just got off of the phone with Mr Doctor Westley" Hopper announced as he re entered the plain white interrogation room. Mike was quick to switch his focus to Hopper, not that his question to El was unimportant but it could wait. All he wanted right now was to take El home and cuddle her to sleep, keep her safe away from the 'mean doctor', shield and protect her from all evil of the world.
"What did he say?" Mike asked impatiently.
"He says there happy to release her to you but-"
Mike cut him off, "Did you hear that El, you can come home with me!" Mike said joyfully, voice full of excitement. El beamed happily.
"But!" Hopper needed to finish the sentence before some major decisions were made. "They're legal procedures that need to take place" He finished.
"Legal procedures… such as?" Mike asked confused.
"Mike, if she's to go home with you then she's officially your responsibility by law. Due to her mental state she needs to legally have a guardian, she needs taken care of 24/7 until doctors and authorities decide that she's well enough to take care and responsibility for herself." Hopper told him seriously.
"Guardian?" Mike asked confused.
"Yes Mike, a guardian. She'd be released into your care making any crimes she may commit, injures she gets and stuff like that your responsibility" He told him. Mike wasn't sure that he'd like to be referred to as El's guardian, it felt strange to him considering his 'special' feelings for her. He knew that she wasn't yet ready for 'adulthood' and dating but its not something that he hasn't considered for the future. He always had the thought of marriage and having children in the back of his mind and specifically with El. Mike decided that he needed to stop thinking about the future for the moment, weather El would ever be able to understand those things and most of all want them of course. Right now, all El needed was someone to care for her and Mike was happy that he finally had her back in his life, girlfriend or not, he loves her. Hopper noticed his unsure look and spoke up a second time as Mike was so caught up in his thought that he didn't respond.
"You can think of it as being a carer, like you would for someone who was in a wheelchair and needed assistance, you don't have to see it as 'babysitting' all you need to do is keep her safe and out of trouble, I reckon you'd be able to teach her enough in a matter of weeks for her to no longer legally require care, she just needs someone to teach her" Hopper told him. Mike smiled, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. In reality all he'd be doing would be keeping her out of trouble and making sure she takes her medication, something he'd do anyway. Mike nodded and Hopper handed him some paper to sign.
"Usually they'd do a background check but I already got that covered" Hopper smiled.
"Thank you" Mike handed the papers back to Hopper. "Now what?" Mike questioned, unsure of their next move.
"Well I guess you can take her home" Hopper told him.
"It's that simple, they'll just let me take her?" Mike asked in disbelief.
"The hospital funding is pretty low, the less patients, the less money it cost them…" Jim shrugged.
"Well then… I guess I will see you tomorrow" Mike smiled.
"No Mike, you take the rest of the week off and help her adjust" Hopper ordered. He had plenty of other staff and he'd put El's well being before him needing an extra pair of hands. Besides, Hopper wasn't sure that he'd plan to do with El, bring her to work? Leave her alone?
"But sir… I need the money" Mike said honestly, Will and Mike only just managed to scrape by but money was still tight.
"It covered!" Hopper chuckled. "Now go, Els practically falling asleep" Mike looked over at a tired El rubbing her eyes with her fist, she looked cute.
"Ok then… bye hop" Mike smiled, offering his hand to El who took it willingly along with the notebook that she didn't plan on leaving behind. Its not like she owned anything she treasured practically everything she owned.
"Bye" El said tiredly to Hopper as Mike led her to his car.
Once in the car Mike showed her how to put on a seatbelt, something that he was astonished by the fact that she was yet to learn how to do.
"See, and pull it over and click it in" Mike demonstrated. El mimicked his action and had put on a seatbelt for the first time. Then she panicked… she was trapped, how would she get out? What if she was stuck here forever? She started wining and thrashing around a little until Mike grabbed her attention and soothed her. "Look El" He then showed her how to undo the seatbelt and El did the same then sighed with relief.
"But El, when we're in the car we have to wear the seatbelt, when we're getting out of the car we then undo the seatbelt. Understand?" El nodded sheepishly. Mike then re-did her seatbelt then instead of instructing El to do the same, waited until she realised what he was waiting for her to do. She put her seatbelt then looked at Mike for reassurance. Mike smiled lovingly down at her and nodded, El smiled back.
"Let's get home" Mike said excitedly. This all seamed so unreal, so sudden. Only a few hours ago he believed that she was dead and had been for the past years and now she was right beside him, and always will be.