This is another fluffy, light chapter! Enjoy and don't forget to review! It really helps to keep me motivated to write! Thank you all for reading.

Mike woke up the next Monday morning, excited for the first time in almost a week. Jane would be back at school today. After Wednesday last week, Mike had gone to school without her and Mike was worried sick the whole time. He didn't want to be focusing on the Hundred Year's War, he wanted to be holding Jane's hand while she recovered. He also wanted to keep an eye on her. Now that Kali had made that deal, it was only a matter of time before she returned to ask Jane to go with her to complete her promise. Mike pushed those thoughts out of his mind as he got dressed for the day.

Jane woke up in her own bed since Will didn't need her protection anymore. It was her first day back to school today, which had pros and cons. Pros: gets to see Mike and their friends. Cons: everything else. Groaning, Jane got out of bed. Her muscles still felt somewhat like jelly, but Dr. Owens had given her a doctor's note to get out of P.E. for the week on account of the 'flu' she was supposedly recovering from. Hopper had just set down her usual plate of eggos when Jane sat down at their small kitchen table.

"Feeling better, kid?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah. Just worn out," Jane commented with a shrug. Hopper nodded, taking that as a pretty good answer considering how bad she was last week. He was scared he really would lose her at some points.

"We ever gonna talk about this whole Chicago thing? And your sister?" Hopper questioned. When she didn't reply he tried again. "Look, I know you don't want to talk about it, but we need to be honest with each other. You didn't tell me last year, and I respect that, but we need to be able to trust each other. Just… tell me when you're ready. You promise?" Hopper exhaled. Knowing her childhood, he really did not want to push her, but she needed to start opening up.

"Promise."

Will walked into the cafeteria at lunch and sat with Dustin who was the only other person to show up yet.

"How you feeling, Will?" Dustin said with his goofy grin.

"Good! I've really never felt better," Will replied.

"You seen Jane yet today?" Dustin asked. He was worried about her. The guys had been communicating the whole situation to each other all weekend on their walkies and it did not sound good. But at least she was at school today.

"I saw her in the hallway with Mike. She looked a little pale, but much better," Will told him. Dustin nodded contentedly. That's when Max walked up.

"This has been the best day of my life," she exclaimed uncharacteristically.

"Care to enlighten us?" Dustin sassed, gesturing to himself and Will. Max rolled her eyes, but continued grinning.

"Neil got charged with some kind of felony and is going to the big house for five years with no opportunity for parole for a year," Max said with luster. "My life just improved like… ten fold."

"Damn," Dustin said, raising his eyebrows.

"That's awesome, Max!" Will chimed in supportingly.

"Someone just dropped the big news, huh?" Lucas joked as he took he seat next to her. "She told me in second period," he explained. Max threw an elbow his way but never lowered her smile.

"Where're Mike and Jane?" Max wondered aloud, noticing that they were the only party members not present. Everyone gave a collective shrug.

"Maybe they wanted some alone time," Lucas suggested. Dustin rolled his eyes.

Mike and Jane sat behind the school. It was a little chilly, but Jane leaned on Mike's shoulder. Jane was trying not to show it, but Mike could tell she was still in pain. She would wince every so often when she moved and the tiredness of her eyes told him she still had a headache. Mike had coaxed her into eating most of her lunch, and now he was running his hands through her hair soothingly.

"You've got to promise me something Jane," Mike said.

"What?" Jane answered, curious.

"When Kali contacts you to find the Bad Man, you've got to tell me first." Jane looked up at him with her sparkling brown eyes. They looked so tired and too old for her beautiful face in this moment.

"You can't come with us," she said quietly.

"I'm never letting you do something like that alone again," Mike said with a fierceness that Jane had never heard from him.

"Mike…" she whispered.

"I'm going with you. I have to. I can't lose you again, remember? 353 days was hard enough. I don't think I could handle forever without you," Mike stated, tears forming in this eyes.

Jane was speechless. She did the only thing that felt right. Jane leaned in and smashed her mouth against his. They kissed intensely for a moment before she broke their kiss abruptly.

"Okay," she relented, to Mike's surprise, before putting her mouth back against his. This time he was better prepared and Mike put his hands on either side of her face, pulling her closer to him. She leaned her head into the kiss, grabbing his shirt collar.

"What's this?" a voice asked. The two ninth graders quickly separated. Mr. Benson, the English teacher was coming out back for a smoke and happened to see the Police Chief's daughter and one of Hawkins' top students making out behind the school.

"Sorry Mr. Benson," Mike said, standing and helping Jane to her feet. "It won't happen again."

"Well, it better not! I wouldn't have to tell Chief Hopper his daughter was doing any questionable things with one of Hawkins' brightest, now would I?" Mr. Benson teased.

"N-no sir! Come on, Jane," Mike said, beet red. He led the Jane back around to the front entrance. Mr. Benson rolled his eyes and lit his cigarette. Damn kids.

The party had been allowed to go to the Hopper's house after school on one condition: they let Jane rest and weren't being stupid. Easy enough. So there they were. Jane was on the couch with her head resting on Mike's lap with a blanket draped over her. Max and Lucas were squeezed into Hopper's recliner, which left Will and Dustin on the floor. Mike was totally babying Jane, Lucas thought. But, she of all people deserved to be babied. She'd saved their asses plenty of times.

"Do you guys know what's coming up next in a couple weeks?" Max asked.

"Why don't you tell us?" Mike said with sass. Max rolled her eyes at him. He's only moody because Jane isn't feeling well, she reminded herself.

"The Homecoming dance," she explained.

"Oh yeah! What's this year's theme?" Will asked, looking excited.

"I think it's 'Back to the Future'," Dustin said.

"Whoa, that is like totally tubular," Lucas joked, raising his arms mockingly. Max tried to suppress her smile as she glared at him.

"Anyways, that could be fun, right Jane?" Max said, bringing her conversation to the point. She wanted to make Jane feel better, have something to look forward to.

"Yeah. Really fun," Jane said weakly.

"We can go dress shopping together. I bet my mom would take us. Or Nancy or something," Max suggested.

Jane gave a nod. The boys looked uninterested, except Mike. If homecoming goes half as well as the Snowball did, it would be worth going, he thought.

"Didn't Carter ask you to that dance, Jane?" Dustin wondered, trying to remember. The most exciting part about that day was when she broke his fingers, but something about a dance sounded familiar.

"Would you shut up?" Lucas shoved Dustin, giving him a wtf look. Mike shot daggers at Dustin.

"Never mind, sorry!" Dustin said, covering his tracks. Jane laughed at him halfheartedly.