Happier With You
AN: And this is where we end the Happier With You story! I want to thank everyone who has read this story, followed, favourited and left reviews. You are all so amazing and kept me motivated. I will now be concentrating on my story The Life You Deserve before moving on to other Mileven projects I have waiting in the wings!
I hope you enjoy this epilogue, a little taster into the lives Mileven are now leading :-)
Epilogue
Winter, 1990
Mike sat inside one of the smaller and cosier coffee shops on the MIT campus whilst he waited impatiently for El. She was currently at an interview at the Hayden library for the library assistant job that she desperately wanted.
He nursed a coffee and looked out of the frosted window every few seconds to see if he could see El approaching. She was due to have finished by now and Mike was growing edgy.
Mike had every faith that El would do excellent in the interview and he hoped she would get the job. What bothered him was the pressure she put on herself to obtain the position, not really understanding the fact that 6 other people had gone for the job too.
The bell above the coffee shop door dinged and Mike looked up quickly, a smile appearing immediately on his face as he watched his girlfriend make a bee line for him. She looked so beautiful in her smart black dress and heels.
El's face was a picture of joy and as she quickly rushed to him, she shouted, "I did it! I got the job!"
"Really?!" Mike gasped in excitement, standing up just in time before El jumped into his arms. He held her tight, feeling so whole and happy when she was back in his arms.
She pulled away just enough to look at his face. He gazed at her, taking in her vibrant smile and her bright eyes. "Yes! They told me straight after the interview. I start Monday." El said eagerly.
Mike beamed and leaned in, his hands gently holding El's face as he pressed his lips to her tenderly. "I'm so proud of you babe." He said sighing with happiness against her mouth. They both couldn't stop the grins on their faces.
Mike and El had been in Cambridge, Massachusetts since the end of September and had found a small one bedroom townhouse that had become their home for the past three months.
El had loved the change of pace that Cambridge offered compared to Hawkins, they enjoyed the vibrant city, the walks along the Charles river and most importantly living together. They had little disagreements over who's turn it was to do the dishes and clean the bathroom but they were otherwise blissfully happy.
"Let me get you a celebratory drink. What would you like?" Mike asked brightly as he turned to the board littered with drink options.
"Hmm…hot chocolate please." She said smiling.
"With extra cream and cocoa powder?" Mike asked her with a grin.
El grinned, her eyes creasing with happiness. "You know me well!"
Mike ordered and paid for the hot chocolate before they moved back to the table in front of the window and discussed her new job.
"So what department are you going to be working in?" Mike asked with interest as he stirred his coffee.
"Well they said I'll be doing a bit of everything really. But mainly humanities and science." El answered smiling proudly at her achievement.
"Brilliant. So I'll get to see a very sexy brunette in the library science department soon." Mike said giving El a mischievous grin making her giggle.
"Mike, I need to be professional you know." She teased him, giving him a cheeky smirk at his comment.
"And you will be." Mike assured before adding with a lopsided smile, "but that doesn't mean I won't be checking you out."
El bit her lip with amusement and sipped at her hot chocolate.
After spending another hour in the coffee shop, Mike and El headed out of the campus and towards their townhouse which was a 15-minute walk. Usually they enjoyed the walk, but El was moaning about her heels.
"Come here," Mike said rolling his eyes with an amused smile on his face. El smiled in relief and hopped onto his back, her legs wrapping around his waist and her hands placed gently on Mike's shoulders as he kept her secure by holding onto her legs.
"Off home we go!" Mike sang as he walked down the street towards their house. El grinned and leaned in to press a kiss on his neck. He felt a shiver of pleasure run down his spine at the innocent gesture.
"You're my home." She said in a sweet voice making Mike's heart leap with joy. He tried to turn to smile at her as he carried on walking, a happy grin on his face. "And you're my home."
El pressed another kiss to his neck and sighed contently. Mike carried on piggy backing her in silence for a while until she spoke again. "Mike do you think we will always live in Massachusetts?"
Mike pondered the question and shrugged slightly. "If you want to babe. I love it here, but I guess it depends on jobs and our children."
"Children?" El asked with curious excitement.
Mike felt himself blushing slightly, "er yeah children. Do you…do you not think about stuff like that?" he asked self-consciously.
El smiled, "I haven't really thought about it much. But…I think I love the idea." She said making Mike grin.
"Cool." Mike said with a little shy smile on his face.
"So how many would we have?" El asked with interest.
Mike smiled to himself as he imagined his and El's future children. "Well I've always liked the idea of us having two. Ideally a boy and a girl. But I know it doesn't always work out that way." He said shrugging before deciding to add, "I think I'd like us to get married first though."
El beamed and tucked her head into his broad shoulder again. "You've really thought about it all haven't you." She mused happily.
Mike stopped walking for a moment so that he could turn his head to El and give her a chaste kiss. "I think about it a lot." He admitted smiling brightly.
El sighed happily and leaned in for another kiss. The feel of her lips on his was incredible, every time it felt like hundreds of fireworks were being set off.
"I can't wait for our future." El said grinning. Mike beamed at her, looking deep into her hazel eyes. "I can't wait either."
They smiled blissfully at one another, knowing that no matter what their future held, it would always be perfect as long as they were together.
Summer, 1996.
El was in the master bedroom of her three bedroomed house, a large suitcase lay on the bed whilst she folded clean clothes and placed them inside neatly. It hadn't taken very long over the years for El to realise that Mike's packing skills were very poor.
She finally zipped the case with a sigh of relief and went downstairs, ready to ask her husband to lift the heavy suitcase into the car. El was just about to go into the living room when she halted. A warm smile crept up her face as she leaned against the door frame and watched her husband with their 1 year old son James.
Mike was stood in front of the book case with a gurgling James held on his hip. "Mu-ma" their happy baby said pointing at their wedding photo.
"Yes baby that's mommy and daddy on our wedding day. That was literally just before you decided you wanted to be created." He said teasing, making El grin to herself. It had certainly been a memorable wedding night.
"And that's daddy with your uncle Will, Dustin and Lucas." Mike said gesturing to the original science fair photo that El had pointed to all those years back in Mike's childhood bedroom.
James laughed and bounced slightly on Mike's hip leaning up with all his effort to reach one of his daddy's curls and tugging on it. Mike beamed at their son and kissed his forehead. "Yeah sorry you're stuck with my black curls baby and not your mommy's beautiful hair."
"I love you hair though," El finally said walking into the room. Mike turned with James and grinned at her, James smiled and giggled, "mu-ma!"
"Hi baby," El said brightly, her hands reaching out for their beautiful son. James, named after her dad was very much a mini Mike. He had all of his features and dark locks that were just starting to curl. The only main feature he had of El's was her hazel eyes.
James reached out his chunky arms for El and Mike pretended to throw him back and forwards three times, causing their baby to giggle loudly before on the fourth time Mike passed him into El's waiting arms.
"Why do I have a naked baby and not a dressed baby?" El asked Mike playfully, raising her eyebrow in fake annoyance.
Mike laughed, "sorry we got distracted But in my defence he has a diaper on."
El grinned, "that's only because you don't want him peeing on you again."
"Or shitting." Mike mumbled.
"Language!" El said scolding him before bringing James up for a kiss. "While I get James dressed, will you put the suitcase in the car?" She asked him sweetly as she took their baby over to the couch where his clothes were waiting.
"Yeah of course babe. West Virginia here we come!" Mike said calling loudly in excitement before heading up the stairs.
El laughed to herself at her husband's eagerness. Every summer all of the subjects had a reunion. They had been doing it for the last 6 years and all took it in turns to visit each other's homes. This time it was Hunter and Emma's turn.
As the years had gone by the subjects were joined by their partners and then children when they had come along. It was always a good time but El was particularly excited about going to Hunter and Emma's because they had been renovating a farm for the past year and it was finally completed.
"Da-da?" James asked whilst El put on his body suit. "Daddy's just upstairs baby." She answered him with a smile. James was very much a daddy's boy when it came to playing and a mommy's boy when he needed comforting.
El was just putting James's shoes on when Mike came back into the living room slightly out of breath. "Right everything's in the car. I just need my wife and son." He said grinning as he walked over to his little family and came up behind El, giving her a tender kiss on her cheek and pulling her against him.
She couldn't help but bite her lip with excitement at his touch. They lead a very busy life, Mike worked as a biomedical engineer and El was a librarian after completing her degree through work, but they always managed to find time for each other. El didn't think she would be able to function without their date nights, trips away and even just cuddles on the couch with both of her boys.
The young family headed to their car ready to travel to Boston and then fly to Charleston. El settled in the passenger seat and lay her hand on Mike's thigh, smiling at him before glancing back now and again at James, tucked into his car seat and playing with his toy steering wheel. This was just perfection to El. She had never truly understood the unconditional love her mama had for her and even Joyce and her dad until she had James. Just like Mike, there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for her son. She would risk anything and everything for him. But for now, she got to enjoy a simple and wonderful life and she would never take that for granted.
Mike was more than relieved when they finally reached Apple Brook Farm. Plane travel with a 1 year old wasn't the best. James had hated take off, his ears popping and unable to be soothed by either Mike or El for the next 10 minutes. Finally they were able to distract him with snacks and a picture book and enjoy the rest of their flight.
They had picked up their rental car which thankfully had air con in the sweltering heat of West Virginia in summer and James fell asleep on the hour car journey, giving El and Mike a chance to have a bit of grown up conversation for a change.
Now they were in front of the beautiful farm, James lay on Mike's front, his arms protectively around his son as they made their way to the front porch. They didn't even make it to the door before Hunter came out to greet them.
"El! Mike! So good to see you!" he said warmly, giving El a hug before giving Mike a side hug to avoid the baby. "And hello James!" Hunter said kindly, ruffling his dark locks. James gave him a shy smile, but kept his head on Mike's chest.
"So everyone's here, they're all in the back yard. Come through." Hunter said happily, giving them a tour of the renovated farm house. Mike couldn't help but be impressed, "you've done a great job." He said looking around.
"Thanks man. It was worth the effort. You should see Bella's room." Hunter said as he took them through the kitchen to the back door. Bella was Emma and Hunter's baby girl, she was 9 months old now.
"Well if you fancy doing up our kitchen let us know." Mike grinned making El roll her eyes with amusement. "It's only a little out dated Mike." She told him as they walked out of the back door.
Before Mike could respond he took in the scene of five children of different ages running around the large yard, screaming and laughing as they played. There was a large wooden table where Kali sat with her husband, Sam stood his arms on the shoulders of his wife and Fifi was sat with Emma who was bouncing Bella on her lap. They all shouted and greeted El, Mike and James warmly as they walked over.
El went around hugging her soul siblings and their partners and Mike followed suit, putting a curious James down who stared at the other children with awe.
"Hey Bella!" Mike said in a sing song voice as Emma came up to him with her young daughter in her arms. Bella smiled and giggled and Emma gave Mike a kiss on the cheek. "It's so lovely to see you all. I've made lemonade if you want some." She said kindly.
Mike looked at the table to see a very refreshing and welcoming big jug of lemonade, glasses and various snacks littered on the surface. "Don't mind if I do," he joked before pouring a glass for him and El.
Hunter put out a paddling pool for the kids after lunch and the parents all sat lazily watching their children squeal and splash about. James was sat on the floor with Bella, poking her curiously on the cheek making her giggle which in turn made him laugh loudly.
"Hey Mike, I believe your son is making a move on my daughter." Hunter teased making them all laugh.
"Well she could do worse. He's as dashing as his dad." Mike joked making them all grin and laugh.
"I second that," El said grinning and leaning her head on Mike's shoulder. He bent his head slightly and kiss the top of her head in thanks.
"Can you believe we get to live like this now?" Emma said quietly to the group.
"What do you mean?" Hunter asked curiously, his arm around his wife.
"We get to lead…normal lives." Emma said looking at them all.
Mike couldn't help but smile softly, she was right and it was what they all deserved after everything they had been through.
"It didn't come without its sacrifices." Kali said wisely, to which the group nodded sombrely. Over the years El had told Mike more about her time with the other subjects and the stories of the subjects who had died at the lab due to experiments or had been murdered at the hands of Brenner, it made Mike's blood run cold to think that could have happened to El.
"Well that's why we need to lead the best lives we can now. To honor the others." El said calmly. Mike beamed at her with love and sincerity. El was incredibly smart, strong and just an amazing mother, wife, daughter and friend. He didn't think he'd ever be able to put into words how proud of her he was.
"Well let's raise a toast shall we? To absent friends." Sam said raising his glass.
"To absent friends!" the group all called, lifting their glasses to join his.
As the sun started to fall on the horizon and the fire flies flickered in the background, Mike watched as El cradled James, rocking him gently to sleep, singing softly to him under her breath. His heart didn't think it could get any bigger, but then he would see his wife and son and he could feel his heart flutter all over again.
Mike wrapped his arm around El and she snuggled into his chest with a hum of satisfaction, James now snoozing in her arms. They both looked down at their baby, created from the love they shared for each other. He was the evidence that life could move on, that things wouldn't always be dark and that true happiness did exist.
Mike wouldn't trade his wife and son for anything, never in a million lifetimes would he be as content and happy as he was now. He truly had found his home, ever since he was 12 years old. And now that he knew the meaning of love and the meaning of happiness, he would lead a wonderful life with his family knowing that he truly had everything he could have ever wanted.