Before I get started, I owe a HUGE thanks to iAmCC, who not only gave me the prompt for this, gave me some background information to work with as well.

Disclaimer: I don't own ST or Nightmare On Elm Street.

Eleven had had fun that day.

When the sun was still shining and she was still with the boys, that is. Now that the sun had set, she wished she hadn't agreed to watching Nightmare on Elm Street.

She kept her covers tucked almost over her eyes, because somehow that made her feel safe. She knew that the movie wasn't real, of course, but she could have sworn the clinking of metal or caught a glimpse of that wretched striped sweater. She would simply pull her blanket higher each time this happened -which is why it was hovering at the bridge of her nose, telling herself that it was all in her head.

But even if it was all in her head, she wished Mike was still there to hold her hand.

Earlier That Day...

"I just don't get why -"

"Dustin, hush! You're ruining the movie!"

"I'm just saying that -"

Dustin was again cut off by Lucas's loud shhh. Eleven wished Lucas hadn't shushed him. She very much preferred to listen to Dustin's voice than the screaming on the TV.

The guys had proposed spending their Saturday evening watching a horror movie. Eleven wasn't too fond of that idea -the words 'horror' and 'movie' did not belong beside each other in her opinion. All the same, she ended up agreeing (even after Mike had repeatedly asked her if she was sure), and now, as she hugged her knees to her chest, she wished she'd told them no.

But she hadn't, and she was watching this man with a metal hand being a downright bastard, as Dustin had charmingly put it. After a couple minutes, she started focusing on a stain on the couch cushion rather than the screen, flinching at every clang or remotely eerie noise (even when it was just Will dropping a fork).

It didn't take long for Mike to realize that Eleven wasn't having fun -in fact, she looked dreadul with her face awfully pale and her lips pursed into a frown. He didn't want the guys to see what he was about to do and have to put up with their endless teasing, but that was the least of his concerns. El was pretty obviously scared. He reached out a tentative hand and laced his fingers with hers. She flinched away from his touch at first, but shortly after she realized that it was only him she seemed more than a little relieved.

With her hand in Mike's grip, Eleven was able to pry her eyes away from the spot on the couch cushion (she'd come to the conclusion that it was some type of juice) and actually watch some of the film. Whenever something a bit too intense happened onscreen he would tighten his hold on her, and he kept his thumb rubbing circles on her wrist the entire time.

The only time Eleven flinched after that was when Hopper came to pick her up and opened the door without knocking. The guys paused the movie, they said their goodbyes, and she slipped her hand away from Mike's as discretely as she could.

"Bye, Mike,"

"Bye, El. I'll see you tomorrow,"

Tomorrow seemed too far away. El needed to see Mike now. She shook her head and turned her back away from the door. As she did this, she caught a glimpse of the Supercom. Maybe Mike was still awake...? Eleven tuned in to the channel her and Mike used and prayed he was still on.

Tomorrow seemed too far away. Eleven needed to see Mike now. She shook her head and turned her back away from the door -she told herself she was just being silly. Mike was probably asleep. But when she had rolled over, she caught a glimpse of her Supercom (a gift from the boys and Joyce) and took the gamble that Mike was still awake as she tuned into the right channel.

"Mike?" She whispered.

It was silent for a few moments and Eleven was about to put the Supercom away when it crackled to life and she heard Mike ask groggily, "El? Are you okay?"

"I'm scared,"

"From the movie? El, you know none of that stuff was real,"

That's true; she did know that, "I know. I'm still scared,"

"Try thinking of happier things," Mike told her, "You know, things that make you smile,"

Mike. Mike made her smile.

He yawned before he kept talking, "What if I stayed up with you for a little while? Until you fell asleep? We don't have to talk. I'll just be here if you get scared,"

Eleven liked that idea. She nodded her head, forgetting that he couldn't see her, before correcting herself and telling him, "Okay,"

She figured Mike had fallen asleep on the button, because pretty soon his soft snoring was the only thing Eleven heard. Not that she minded, anyway. Listening to his slow, even breathing, she drifted to sleep with a small smile on her face.

Gah, I am so sorry I haven't been updating very often! I've been a little busy the past week but I'm hoping once the holidays are over I'll have more time. I'm trying to finish up a little Christmas chapter to post tomorrow, so maybe that'll make up for some of it. Take care you guys!