Ted Wheeler stared absently out the window.
Nancy glanced at him every once in a while.
-'Dad?' She finally called,
-'Huh?',
-'What are you thinking about',
-'Nothing just...this thing with the baby, and now Mike is sick too..got me thinking. Stuff. I guess',
-'It's okay if you don't know how to feel, dad',
Ted nodded, -'I'm just worrying all the time...it's hard to work sometimes. Like...there's a void of feelings',
Nancy hugged her dad. He wasn't a hugging person, but it seemed like he needed one.
-'The circumstances are not ideal but...we have to stick together, now more than ever before okay' the blue eyed woman looks up at her father and tries to flash him a smile.
-'Absolutely...it's just been hard without...the baby here, I guess...it's like problems fade when he's around'
Problems. Problems with Karen and Ted were not uncommon. They had thought about divorce but figured it wasn't gonna be the best option, especially now with Mike having to face fatherhood at such a young age.
And Levi did brought a different energy to the tension-filled Wheeler house.
Whether he fell asleep while Ted read him a book (History books and politics magazines to a baby, of course), or clumsily crawled around Karen's legs while she cooked ('I don't wanna have to scold you, young man!') it was like the infant tinged with life everything he touched or encountered.
-'We enter school on Monday' El whispered, Mike groaned as if he was in pain, -'I can't believe your dad is making us go', -'We have to pretend...pretend a lot, Mike', -'I'm not gonna make it through the first day...I can barely get out of bed', El sighed deeply, -'I know babe...I wish I could help', -'You're doing enough. Come here'.
MONDAY
The principal stared at Michael Wheeler and Jane Hopper who sat in front of him in his office.
The young man looked even thinner than he normally was, if that was even possible. His big brown eyes always lively, now looked dead. His mop of abundant black hair had clearly been falling off, and the veins under his skin popped like a sore thumb. The girl didn't looked much better. Her honey glazed irises were dull, she looked like she hadn't slept in days, her demure was shy, less defiant, less extroverted than how he had seen her for the last time.
-'I know about-uhmm...obviously everyone knows. Your teachers, coordinators, coaches...they know about your son and I've asked them not to be alarmed if you presented certain behaviours',
-'I understand, Mr. Walker, the teachers don't concern me', El spoke loud and clear, -'But If we get teased because of this family situation, I won't hesitate on acting. This isn't a laughing matter', -'And I understand completely, but if someone teases you I advice you to-',
-'I will take matters in my own hands. Come on, Mike, we have bio'.
When Mike and El entered the classroom five minutes late, a bunch of eyes glanced at them. A few girls stood up and hugged El in support, -'I'm so sorry', -'We are all thinking about you', -'I hope this all gets resolved soon', -'If you need us, we are here', in the meantime, Mike dragged himself into a chair and looked to his right.
Dustin sat there, staring at him with sad eyes. Sad eyes he had never seen on the always-smiling friend.
-'Mike' he whispered, touching his friend's arm, -'Hey' he barely managed to mutter back, -'I am here for you Mike. You know that? I love you guys' he laid a strong hand on his shoulder, and frowned, -'When was the last time you ate?', -'Not this now, Dustin. Ok', the curly haired boy realized just how big Mike's clothes looked around his body. Before he could ask any further, the teacher cleared her throat and El sat beside her boyfriend. She wrapped his arm around his shoulder, -'Hey, you okay? Are you gonna be okay?' Mike nodded lazily, looking up at the teacher's pitiful glance, -'I'll write down the notes, you don't have to worry', Mike chuckled sarcastically, -'Oh I'm not worrying', El kissed his head, -'I love you', -'I love you too'.
During lunch break, the pair took a look around the school. In every other corner, the picture of their smiley boy stared coldly back at them. Like a reminder of the tragedy.
They received sad glances, pats in the shoulder, a few -'We are here for you' and -'It's gonna be ok'. They took each and every one of them with a small, sad smile.
By the middle of lunch time, Mike had to seat on the floor, too weak to walk, -'Mike come on, I can't-', El started sobbing, -'I can't hold you', -'If I walk anymore I'm gonna faint', -'Come on, lets go to Miss Klein, ok? She'll make you better'.
-'105', the nurse frowned at the balance. -'One zero five...how tall are you Wheeler', -'Six feet, two inches', the nurse almost fainted herself, -'You need to eat something...right now' Miss Klein glanced back at El, -'Bring him jello, apple sauce, mashed potatoes, anything soft that he can keep down withiut his stomach going into shock', Mike felt so exhausted he barely protested, El nodded energetically, -'I'll be right back'.
It was a miserable scene. Almost unbelievable that this was happening in Hawkins. It was depressing to see the fastest guy in the track team, the guy with the second highest marks in his class, the lovable nerd and his girlfriend, the caring, sweet, pretty girl with the weird ability of being able to learn exactly what the history books said. Both completely depressed. She was trying to get him to eat something.
They received some glances, but nothing menacing, more like comfort.
-'You like applesauce, come on', El was sounding desperate now, like she was seeing her Mike slowly drift away into a black hole she couldn't pull him out from.
The party had decided to give them some space, but among them wasn't any better.
Will stared at his food. It was his favorite (mac n cheese and fried mozzarella sticks) but he couldn't imagine just ignoring the situation with his nephew.
Hw remembers the day he met Levi.
It was a Thursday and they were in the middle of geography class when the principal came to get Mike from class. His face had lit up, but the party looked kind of confused, -'Where are you going?', Max had asked, -'I think they did let me go to the hospital with El, I'll call you!', a few "Aww cute!" "Send her my regards!" "Go, dad' could be heard from a few units in the classroom.
Will remembered. Few hours later, he was looking into a plastic incubator, seemingly to protect the small baby from bacterias his premature body couldn't handle, -'He's adorable. Like a toy person', Mike frowned and then chuckled, -'Way to word that, William', he patted his back endearingly.
Now it was just despair. It was just his mom not being able to sleep and being beside the home phone every time she could. It was Hopper being paranoid, and irritable. It was his best friend sinking into a dangerous depression that had left him empty of feeling and starving of actual physical nurture. It was his sister being a handful of nerves, jumpy and permanently angry. Everyone was on edge. And Will knew he had to do something to save this sinking ship.
He thrned his head around when he heard Troy Harrington's annoying voice.
"Maybe it's for the best, maybe that baby is getting better cared for than what those nerds could ever do for him, like for crying out loud, they're fucking teenagers and the mom is a fucking freak! They're acting all sad and Shit I'm sure rhey're relieved they don't have to care for a child anymore...who knows, maybe that frog face freak and his little girlfriend killed him and-',
Will grabbed a cafeteria tray and slammed it into Troy's face.
El almost jumped out of her seat, -'WILL, WHAT-', -'GODDDD FUCK YOU, FUCKING FAGGOT ASS LITTLE CUNT' the boy's nose was bleeding, and he had a huge red mark on his face. Lucas couldn't help but chuckle.
-'YOU FUCKING FAGGOT DICK EATING FAIRY IM GONNA KILL YOU', El frowned at the homophobic slurs and decided to intervene. She threw one of the spoons she was using, at Troy, -'Don't call him that' she said, nicely this time. She was trying not to get into trouble on her first day of senior year.
Half of the cafeteria hamging at their every word.
-'I'LL CALL HIM WHATEVER I WANT YOU WEIRDO. ARENT YOU BUSY MOPING AROUND AND CRYING OVER A BABY YOU NEVER LOVED?! OVER AN ACCIDENT? AND NOW LOOK YOU HAVE TO PICK YOUR NERD ASS BOYFRIEND OFF THE FLOOR BECAUSE HES TOO SAD TO EAT FOR HIMSELF', El's expression had changed from 'trying to be nice' to 'I'm about to stab you', -'Take that back Troy', -'No...', -'TAKE IT BACK!', -'NO! I ONLY TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BASTAR-', -'YOU BETTER NOT FINISH THAT SENTENCE YOU MORONIC BEAST OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA BREAK YOUR FUCKING ARM AGAIN'. Troy took a step back.
He, of course, walked right into Mike's fist.
El hadn't even noticed he had stood up.
The boy dramatically fell on the floor holding his face. Mike stepped on his forearm and pressed, -'If you ever...EVER. Fucking talk about my family or my son again, I swear on everything you love I'm gonna murder you. DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOU FUCKING STUPID ANIMAL?! DO YOU THINK IM FUCKING JOKING?!', at this point Mike had started crying of anger and sadness. He spat on Troy's face 'And don't fucking scream at my girlfriend OR my friend'.
El was hysterical. She was crying and screaming explanations at her dad about why she was at the principal's office for misconduct on the first day of senior year along with her brother and her boyfriend.
-'B-But d-dad PLEASE tell them, PLEASE. I told them I wasn't gonna hold back and-and the first thing I hear during lunch is this-this fucking MORON talking about my f-f-family and-', -'Jane you don't have to explain anything to me, baby' Hopper hugged her tight and kissed her head, -'I'll talk to the principal...just wait here', -'I'll go in with you'.
Hopper opened the glass door to the principal's office and found Mike barely able to defend himself through the tears, while Will didn't unglued his glare from the floor, -'And I fucking spit on him because he's a scum of earth and-', -'You don't have to keep talking, Michael', -'N-No! I do! Because if I don't, you're gonna put me into detention after school and-and-', he noticed El standing a few feet away, -'And I won't b-be able to help l-look for my son in the evenings, oh El...' he hugged her tightly and desperately, thick tears falling into her jacket.
Principal Walker looked up, absolutely mortified, and met Hopper's gaze.
-'You shouldn't be in detention, you should be sent to a psychiatrist',
Will gripped the arms of the chair tightly, and frowned, -'Is that all you have to say? Are you not gonna punish-'
-'Careful, Byers. If I'm not confused, you threw a food tray at his face'
-'I'd gladly throw a few more if it means he will stop teasing me, my friend and my sister about a serious family matter!'.
Hopper stroked Mike's back, -'Come on, up. We're going home. All of us...get up, kid',
Mike shook his head and El sighed deeply,
-'Hey Will, help me get him into dad's car'
-'Okay, come on man'
-'You guys take him in. Open the car, lay him down in the backseat, I'll be right there' Hopper sighed deeply and closed the door behind the three friends. A bit too hard. He was angry. Angrier now because of this.
-'You know, Walker...'
-'Hey Chief, I'm just doing what's dictated-'
-'YOU KNOW. Walker. Mike's lucky he could even stand up this morning to come to this god damn school for his first day? You know he can only sleep when we drug him because if we don't, he'll be prone to hurting himself and never rest? You know he almost fainted today, in your fucking halls, because he hasn't eaten real food in two weeks? Of course you don't. And you don't know he was depressed two years ago, and you can't tell he's depressed now because HIS SON IS MISSING. RIGHT?! So I'd advice you to leave them the hell alone, and be mindful for once. Be considerate!
And my step-son, the one you call a sharp mouth, deals with daily bullying from that little excuse of a man you protect so much. DAILY! And he never does anything about it because he's a good boy, but today, that Troy kid really stepped over the line'
-'Your daughter was an active perpetrator, Jim and-'
-'She cursed him out because he was mocking her son. She did the right fucking thing, I thought you'd be supportive dammit!'
-'I'm trying to be, JAMES!'
-'Y-You know what? You won't have Michael or Jane here until this is resolved. They can't be in here surrounded by people who donmt care about their wellbeing'.
Jim was livid when he went into the car.
Will was looking into the backseat where El and Mike where.
Mike had his head laying on El's lap, he looked battered and exhausted,
-'I think he passed out dad but I'm not sure. We should just take him home, he's not okay'
El was crying herself, she was so worried about everything it was like a constant sense of being chased. Not ever resting.
Karen Wheeler opened the front door to the four people before her.
She helped lay her son on the couch while tryung to nurse him back to alert consciousness.
Hopper called Joyce to explain the situation with Will but at this point, school was the least of his worries. Fuck school. Time was running out. He knew Thomas had tabs on his case, he knew his friend was working on it day and night. But day and night almost wasn't enough for the chief of Police. He knew from when he was a big city cop, that the difference an hour could make was between life and death. Like when they found an elderly person dead of hypothermia and learning he could've lived if collected an hour before.
But this wasn't an elderly wandering citizen. This was his one year old grandson. Kidnapped. A baby boy who needed constant special cares following his premature birth. A sweet beacon of light with no powers like his mother's to protect him from even a wild animal. Jesus fuck, animals. If Levi had been left in the woods somehow, he was an easy prey. Jim tried not to think about it, almost afraid El could somehow read his mind and see the terrible scene he was seeing.