The Life You Deserve

**This is my first ever Fanfiction so I really hope you enjoy this story :-) Disclaimer: I do not own Stranger Things, their ideas or their characters **

**Chapter 1 takes place immediately after El closes the gate**

Chapter 1: The Aftermath

The silence outside of the Byer's home was suddenly disrupted as the blue Chevrolet Camaro driven by Steve this time halted on the dirt path and the four young teens rushed out of the car and up to the house, Steve hurrying after them.

"Eleven?" Mike called as he raced around the house, jumping over Billy who they had left on the living room floor. "Eleven?!" he called again, feeling the panic in him rising. "Calm down dude they obviously aren't back yet." Steve commented as he went over to the small freezer to pull out some ice, wrapping it in a towel and touching it to his throbbing head.

Mike glared at Steve for a moment, he didn't understand how badly he needed to see her. He had waited almost a year to be reunited with Eleven and their reunion had been bittersweet, she had been taken away less than 15 minutes later.

Mike started to pace up and down the lounge as he thought about her, there was just so much he wanted to say…so many things he wanted to do. He held his hands together nervously and jumped with apprehension when he saw car lights appear on the track to the house. He raced out of the house to the porch along with the rest of the group.

When Mike realised it was Jonathan's car, for one second he was disappointed, but then he knew this meant that Will was with them. Mike, Lucas and Dustin ran down the steps and along the dirt to meet Jonathan helping Will out of the car.

"Thank god!" Dustin said smiling as the boys all hugged Will; Max joining in as well whilst Joyce tried to tell them that her son was quite fragile so to be careful. "Are Hopper and El back yet?" she asked looking over at Steve who shook his head silently. She frowned but smiled gently when she saw Mike's face, "they'll be fine. I'm sure of it." Joyce told him with confidence before putting her arm around Will and leading him towards the house, with Jonathan, Dustin, Max and Lucas following.

Mike looked out at the dark road and sighed to himself, not hearing Nancy walk up to him. "Are you okay?" she asked him calmly, clear concern in her voice. Mike turned to look at his sister, he was tempted to lie but felt too weak for it. He shook his head and felt a tear fall down his cheek, Nancy didn't tease him and immediately brought him into her arms. He cried as she held him close and stroked his hair.

"She's going to be okay Mike…she's so strong. You know she can kick ass." She told him smiling slightly. Mike sniffed and moved out of the hug to wipe at his eyes. "She's incredible…she's amazing. But I've lost her before, I know what it feels like and I can't go through that again." He admitted to his sister.

Nancy sighed and was about to speak when they heard Joyce screech, shortly followed by her saying, "who is this?!" Nancy looked wildly at the house, "what the?" she asked and Mike shrugged, barely bothered, "she'll have found Billy. He's unconscious on the living room floor." He said glumly, his mind far away. "What?" Nancy said in confusion before rushing up to the house herself.

Mike made his way up to the house but decided to sit on the porch instead and look out at the dark road. He wasn't sure if he was sat there for five hours or five minutes, time didn't seem to matter when he saw in the distance car lights appearing and he stood up immediately, his heart racing, his palms clammy.

As the car swerved slightly to park, he saw "Hawkins Police Dept" written on the side and he couldn't stop himself from running over to the Chevy as Hopper got out and helped El out the other side.

Mike didn't care about the tears rushing down his face, the moment he saw El and she looked at him tired, blood stains on her nose, her eyes bloodshot but smiling, he brought her into his arms and held her tightly whilst they both cried on each other.

"You came back," Mike gasped through his sobs and El held him tightly, her head lying on his shoulder. "I promised," she said with determination despite their breathlessness.

Mike pulled back slightly and moved his shaking hands to cup her soft cheeks, he looked in her beautiful brown eyes, they sparkled even now and sent his heart into a spin. He closed his eyes and leaned in giving her the kiss they had been cheated of earlier.

El kissed him back and through her lips touching his, Mike felt like he was being revitalised and whole once more. As they broke apart from their kiss, El embraced him until someone cleared their throat and they both realised Hopper was still stood there looking annoyed.

"Right break it up, we need to go inside." He told them seriously but clearly uncomfortable with what he had just witnessed. Mike looked at the chief and felt ready to start another argument up with him, telling him that he could do whatever he wanted. The chief wasn't the boss of him and had hidden the love of his life away from him for almost a year, but he knew better than starting a fight again.

Mike nodded in agreement but held El's hand, their fingers lacing together, the feeling of her skin against his skin was comforting and soothed his heart as they walked into the house. They were met with the rest of the group, who all wanted to hug El, making Mike slowly be pulled away from her to his dislike.

Joyce rang around Mike's, Lucas's and Dustin's parents explaining they were staying the night whilst Hopper, Jonathan and Steve came up with a plan as to how to take Billy and his car home and explain what had happened to him.

"Just say he fell on the ice," Max wavered into the conversation, "I'll just tell them he's a clumsy dumbass and he found me at the arcade but fell over on the way to the car and Steve and Jonathan found us." She reasoned.

The men looked at her in surprise and then shared glances, Hopper sighed, "I suppose it could work." Whilst Steve and Jonathan carried Billy to his car, Max said good bye to the boys and avoided El following her cold greeting earlier. Max jumped in with Steve who drove Billy's car and Jonathan and Nancy followed them in his car to give Steve a lift back.

Will was finally fast asleep in his bed and Lucas and Dustin were asleep on his floor having found sleeping bags and spare pillows. Mike sat on the couch with El whilst Hopper and Joyce sat at the kitchen table, both of them smoking tensely whilst Hopper explained how the army had arrived just as he and El were leaving.

Mike overheard with a pang of sadness as Hopper tried to tell Joyce that Bob's body was taken to the morgue, but the rest was muffled as all he could hear was Joyce crying. Mike turned his attention back to El and put his arm around her in comfort and she smiled weakly up at him, her head against his chest, making him wonder if she could hear his heart beating loudly just for her.

There was so much Mike wanted to ask her, he wanted to know what she had been doing this past year, he wanted to ask where she got the cool clothes from, he wanted to tell her how miserable he had been without her, but when he looked down at the girl he loved, she was sound asleep against him and he couldn't help but smile slightly and before he knew it, he too was asleep, sleeping better than he had in almost a year.

Once Hopper had told Joyce that they found Dr Owens alive but hurt, he explained he would visit him in the hospital the next day and that they should probably call it a night. Joyce nodded numbly, still reeling from losing Bob.

They both stood up and Hopper walked over to the couch to see El and Mike asleep, the young boy's arm around her protectively. He frowned and sighed turning to Joyce, "what am I going to do with them two?" he asked her half frustrated and half amused.

She smiled sadly at them, "they're in love and you're going to let them sleep Hop. They've been through enough." She said her voice breaking as she began to cry. Hopper embraced her and they stood in the kitchen for hours as Joyce broke down, the events of the night finally catching up with her.