Here's another chapter for you guys! I hope everyone is enjoying this story! Leave me a review and let me know what you think!

"Jane! Are you ready to go to my house?" Mike asked excitedly as he came up to her locker after school. She looked at him and quickly tried to push thoughts about the Mind Flayer from her mind.

"Yes, but…" she looked at the ground. "What if they don't like me?" she asked hesitantly.

"Jane, they're going to love you! I know my mom will, she's super nice, and you already know Nancy. Plus, Holly's still pretty little so you won't have to really say anything to her. My dad probably won't talk much, and that's kind of for the best… I mean I love him and all, but he can be a mouthbreather sometimes…" Mike trailed off. Jane loved hearing him talk like this, but right now she was having a hard time focusing on the dinner, her mind drifting back to the gate.

They reached the Wheeler house and went straight for the basement. Mike's mother was upstairs getting ready for dinner and Ted hadn't gotten home from work yet, so they had some alone time before dinner. Jane glanced at the basement that had been her home for six days. Her blanket fort was still up, which she smiled at. That seemed like forever ago. She had been down here a couple times since then, after the snowball, and a couple times over the summer, but this was the first time the two of them were down here alone.

Mike and Jane sat down on the sofa, her head resting on his shoulder. It felt nice to her and she could hear Mike's heart beating.

"Jane?" he spoke up.

"Yes Mike?"

"I missed you being here," he said simply.

"Me too," she told him. Jane felt Mike kiss the top of her head and she looked up at him. Without thinking, she lunged into a kiss. Mike felt her soft lips collide with his and instantly melted into her. Their first three kisses were short and sweet, but this had a different tone. Jane came at his mouth with a hunger that he matched. Soon, Mike had grabbed her neck and she had her hands twisted into his hair. Wow, Mike thought, for someone who has never made out before, she's pretty good. After a few moments, Mike pulled away, beaming.

"Why did you stop?" Jane questioned.

"It was a-amazing, but sometimes, kissing like that can get a little… uh intense. Just don't tell Hopper about that, he'll have my head," Mike worried.

"Well, I like the intense," Jane pouted. Mike grinned.

"Me too."

Hopper clocked out of the station early for his dinner with the Wheeler's. He didn't really know Mike's father very well, but Karen was nice enough, if only very clueless. He knew Nancy, though admittedly, not very well. Jim wasn't nervous, but he was a little curious to see how this played out. He arrived at the Wheeler's at about five before six and knocked on the door. Inside, Mike and Jane had emerged from the basement and were in the living room playing with Holly. They heard a solid knock and ran to get the door.

"Hi Kiddos," the Chief said, pulling Jane into a hug before ruffling both of their hair. Karen rounded the corner, still wearing her apron to greet him.

"Hello Chief," she said hospitably. "You can hang your coat on the rack and come on in." Jane grabbed Hopper's hand and led him into the house. When they were all standing in the kitchen, Karen turned to the kids and said, "Why don't you two go and tell Nancy it's time for dinner?" They nodded and ran up the stairs.

"You need any help?" Hopper offered when it was just the two of them.

"No, you're a guest," she told him, "I've got it." He leaned on the counter and nodded while Karen pulled the roast out of the oven. "They're crazy about each other," she noted, glancing at the ceiling.

"Oh, I know," Hopper said with a smile. Then, Jane, Mike, and Nancy all marched down the steps and started taking seats at the table. Karen called out to Ted and Holly in the living room, and soon everyone was seated around the dinner table. Karen sat at the head with a tall glass of wine, with Holly between her and Ted. Next to him was Nancy, and the Chief sat at the other head of the table, with Jane on his right and Mike sitting next to her.

"I hope you're hungry!" Karen said with enthusiasm as she started serving everyone. Hopper made eye contact with Jane and mouthed 'manners' to her. She nodded and began cutting her meat very delicately.

"It's delicious," Hopper told her after taking a bite. Karen nodded with a smile. Nancy turned her attention to Jane.

"How's freshman year, Jane?" Nancy asked conversationally.

"Not bad. Mike's been helping me," she said without shame. Mike blushed and stared at his potatoes.

"She was homeschooled before, so I'm pretty thankful to your boy for helping her adjust," Hopper said, looking at Mike.

"Homeschooled, huh?" Ted said looking at Jane. She nodded and he went back to his food.

"How about you, Nancy? How's Senior year?" Mike asked mockingly. She shot him a joking glance.

"It's fine," she said. "Speaking of that, Mom, do you think I could do a college tour of NYU?" She asked, looking up.

"Well, sure, but I thought you wanted to go to Indiana University?" Mrs. Wheeler replied.

"I mean, I did, but NYU is a great school and I just thought I'd explore other options," she said coolly.

"More like because Jonathon wants to go there," Mike whispered before receiving a kick from Nancy under the table. Jane laughed. Karen rolled her eyes.

"Kids... what are you gonna do?" Karen said, looking at Jim.

"What are you gonna do?" he replied, smiling.

On the way home from the Wheeler's, Jane had been quiet, which was not unusual, but what was unusual was how happy she looked.

"What are you grinning about?" Hopper asked her in the car.

"Mike," she said simply.

"So you really like him, huh?" Jim sighed.

"Yes," Jane answered, looking at him skeptically.

"I didn't say anything!" her dad said, putting his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "He's a good kid," Hopper said after a pause.

"I know," was her reply.

Mike finished brushing his teeth and was getting into bed when his mother came in.

"Michael, I had a great time at dinner tonight," she told him.

"Thanks for letting them come over," Mike said again.

"She's a little quiet," Karen said, to which Mike nodded with a smile, "but she seems nice. I'm happy for you," she whispered, kissing his head before heading out of his room.

"Mom?" She turned to look at him. "I love you."

"I love you too, Michael," she said softly, turning off his light and closing the door.

On the other side of Hawkins, Max went to sleep crying, a black eye already forming. Billy had picked her up from school today, and since the events of last year, he had cooled off on her. Max knew how Billy's dad treated him and she had tried to get her mom to leave him, but to no avail.

"Maxine, I know you miss your dad, but I love him!" her mother would tell her. It didn't look like love to her. It had always been Billy who her step-dad had bullied, but lately he had become more controlling over her mother. She had to tell him where she was going, when she would be home, and if she was ever wrong, it turned into a screaming match, which usually ended up with her mother being shoved into a wall. That was what had happened tonight. It was terrifying. Billy looked desensitized to it and barely even flinched. Max was not like that though. She tried and pull her step-father off of her mother, and ended up with an elbow to the eye. Her mother rushed to her side and Neil started to say how sorry he was and she knew her mother would believe it. She ran to her room and locked the door. That's where she was now. Crying softly, trying to get some sleep, and hoping her makeup could cover the bruise for school tomorrow.

Will Byers was in bed, trying to get a good night's sleep when he awoke suddenly. He realized he was sweating and got out of bed to get a glass of water. He looked at the clock which read 11:47. His house was quiet, his brother and mother fast asleep. He avoided looking out the windows, since what he had seen out there last year still haunted him. Soon he was back in bed, and slowly drifted off to sleep…

Will was in the upside down which was eerily calm. There was no storm, no shadow monster… no demo dogs. Just empty. In the dream, Will walked down the main street of Hawkins when he heard something. It sounded like a rustling in the trees. He looked around him frantically, but saw nothing. He started running in the opposite direction of the noise, but it only seemed to get louder, like it was closing in on him. "Will," he heard a voice say. "WILL!"

Will awoke to Jonathon shaking him awake.

"Will!" he said again.

"I'm awake," Will replied, shaken.

"You don't want to be late for school! We gotta get moving," Jonathon said, leaving the room. Will sighed in relief. It was just a dream. Just a dream.

Thanks for reading. I'm really pleased with the way this story is coming along and I've wanted to see a more Mike-supportive Hopper so I wrote one! Hopefully I'll add more Lucas and Dustin and Steve in the next one, let me know what you think!