Chapter Text
“No,” Eleven said softly, hand placed on an unresponsive Max as Lucas sat cradling her broken form.
She couldn’t let this happen. She couldn’t let her friends get hurt, killed because she was too slow and too weak. She couldn’t let One win this. She had to do everything in her power to fix this. If only she could go back to the day Mike showed up in California and change her path. Change the path of everything . Perhaps she could stop One and save Max and all of her friends. Save Hawkins and the world.
Eleven closed her eyes once again, still in this dreamlike endless landscape with a hand on Max, and focused. She forced heself, pushing all of the energy she could tap into into this one will. She could hear the shouts of Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Argyle on the other side, but if she could do this there would be nothing for them to worry about. If she managed this, maybe they could fix everything.
===
Eleven gasped for air, sitting up in her bed. Her bed which she hadn’t seen since she left with Owens to find her powers again. Her head felt like it would split in two at any moment and she could feel the familiar tickle of blood trickling down from her nose. Quickly wiping it away, Eleven got out of bed in a rush. As she looked around, she could see her crushed diorama on her desk. Her letters from Mike sat in their usual spot, untouched and not scattered across the ground from their argument. Nothing was left out of place. It was like she was perfectly dropped into the morning that they picked up Mike from the airport.
There was a knock on the door and Joyce’s voice floated in from the other side, “El, sweetie, you up? I made breakfast before you three head out for the airport.”
This was insane. I mean, she had tried to will this into happening, but she never expected something like this to be possible. She was really back in the past? Back before Hawkins was threatened by One? Before Max died?
“Eleven?” There was another louder knock from Joyce.
“I-Uh. Yes, I am up. I will be down soon,” Eleven responded in a rush.
“Alright, sweetie. Breakfast is on the table when you come down.”
Eleven scrambled to get ready. She paused, staring down at the dress she had worn last time. All she could think about was the large brown stain her milkshake had left behind. With a frown, she put the dress back in her closet and searched for a different one she could wear. Before she went to the bathroom, Eleven paused for a moment. She had to know if her powers were back. With the knowledge of her past and her used-to-be future, she wondered if she had retained them.
Once again, Eleven moved in a flury, digging in the small trash bin she had in her room. In triumph, she produced a single empty Coke can. She set the can on her desk and took a few steps back. Lifting her hand, she concentrated on the can, feeling a dull electric buzz through her body. There was something there, but was it enough? The can twitched. El concentrated harder, thinking to her memories of everything that One caused. The empty can collapsed inward with a crunch. It was left as a crumpled metal ball on her desk.
She had to tell Will and Mike.
Forgoing breakfast, Eleven raced to Wills room. Without even knocking, she burst in. Will nearly jumped out of his skin, gripping onto the partially rolled painting he had recently finished and was now observing. He let out a sort of whimper, inspecting the painting for damage and quickly rolling it up.
“What’s wrong El?” He looked from the painting to her, worry sewn in his expression.
“Everyone is in trouble. We need to get to Hawkins, now.”
Will’s face paled and his hand travled up to the nape of his neck. While there was no goose bumps, he could almost feel them form in response to her words.
“What-What do you mean by that? And how? It’s so far away and- And Mike is about to get here?” Will stood up in a panic, clutching the painting tighter again.
“I do not have time to explain it all right now. We need to warn them, and I can explain everything on our way to Hawkins.”
“Wait- What about going to Hawkins?” Eleven whipped around and Will looked over her shoulder. Jonathan stood in the doorway looking confused and greatly concerned.
===
“So then after all of that, you managed to- what? Turn back time?” Will asked, from where he sat next to Eleven in the van. Jonathan was partially turned around as he listened and Argyle seemed to be tripping out ove the whole thing, muttering about Back to the Future.
“Yes, and if we do not stop One this time then we are all in grave danger.”
“Okay, so we pick up Mike and- What drive like last time? Find a flight I guess? I can try calling around while you catch Mike up to speed and lets hope there’s some same day flights, but- What about mom?” Jonathan, ran a hand through his hair.
“Whatever she did to bring Hops home seemed to work, so maybe we should just let her do her own thing?” Will offered with a shrug. “I mean, if we tell her now, it could mess things up for them. I think the biggest problem we’re going to have is that we have no idea exactly what happened in Hawkins, and we know Owens will be coming looking for you, El.”
Jonathan groaned in frustration as the van came to a stop.
“Okay, look you two go in, and I’ll go find a phone to see if we can get some flights out of here. Argyle just- You’re fine, man. Just stay here.”
“Man, with all this crazy sci-fy stuff you’re talkin’ I think I need to process it.”
“Should he really be smoking more at a time like this?” Will asked Jonathan who threw his hands up in a frustrated ‘I don’t know’ gesture. Will huffed and got out of the van with Eleven in tow.
Will was a nervous energy beside Eleven as they waited at Mike’s gate for him. He wrung the painting, now in it’s cardboard tube, in his hands. He hadn’t let it go since Eleven barged in his room. Now, it felt ridiculous to even think about showing Mike it with the knowledge that world ending events could happen in the next week if they didn’t get this right. Eleven seemed to be just as nervous and huddled closer to Will. She gripped his arm as they anxiously waited for that familiar face to show.
When Mike finally did show, it was a bit of an awkward exchange. Both Byers-Hopper siblings were on edge already, and that mixed with the way Mike couldn’t fully hug Will or look Eleven directly in the eyes really created an uncomfortable atmosphere. Will tried to swallow down whatever sadness and shame he felt and went to tell Mike they needed to catch him up on some things, but Eleven beat him to it.
“We need to go now. There’s a lot we have to tell you.” Mike blanched at her wording but tried to play it off.
“Cool cool, alright well… Lead the way then.” He hesitated a moment before putting a lanky arm around Eleven’s shoulders. She mirrored Will in a way, holding the flowers in her hands with a death grip.
Jonathan was still on the phone in a phone booth when they arrived to the van. It stunk which caused Eleven and Will to pull a face at it. Argyle greeted them, having calmed down significantly. He leaned over the driver’s seat to greet Mike, rambling about his shirt. He clearly couldn’t read the uncomfortable atmosphere and only stopped when Will gently but firmly insisted they needed to catch Mike up. Mike’s already pale face somehow grew paler as Eleven recounted everything to him. Will tacked on what they currently had planned and remphisized that they still had no idea what the Hawkins crew had completely gone through. All they had to work with was the information on the killins Owens provided, One’s plan, and what little conversation she gleaned off of Max and the others. It wasn’t a lot to work with, so the sooner they arrived in Hawkins, the better.
“Okay, so we get to Hawkins and hopefully stop One. Cool cool. The only problem is, if Owens and the government are looking for you, we shouldn’t call anyone in Hawkins. That’ll just tip them off.” The other two nodded in agreement with Mike.
“If we can’t call Hawkins, can we even book flights out of here without tipping anyone off?” Will asked, sharing a look between the three of them. The passenger side door opened and in came Jonathan again.
“Alright, I’ve tried everyone. There’s no flights out of here to Hawkins tonight or tomorrow morning. We can try later in the day, but that’s the best we can do.” Once again the three younger teens turned to one another before facing Jonathan again.
“Maybe we should just drive to Hawkins. It would be easier to hide what we’re doing anyway,” Mike said, speaking for the three of them. Jonathan frowned and mulled it over.
“We won’t be there until Monday even if we leave tonight and don’t stop.” The teens shrugged and Jonathan let out a sigh, turning to Argyle who was in his own world.
“You up for a road trip?”
“Oh whaat yeah, man, I’m way down.”
“Okay, that settles it. We’ll leave tonight, but so that we don’t cause mom to freak out, we’ll have to stay out until dinner and leave tonight.” All four share a look and nod.
===
Despite a slight loss in appetite over the news, they all went to get food and did not go to Rink-O-Mania. Eleven had omitted a few parts of what happened to Mike, particularly of the happenings at Rink-O-Mania and their argument, and had been acting a bit distance during their lunch. They all sat together at a table. Mike attempted conversation and Will keptshooting her looks. Eventually, Eleven slammed her hands on the table, her food partially eaten and mostly abandoned, before storming off, saying something about the bathroom.
“You know I can see you making those faces at her,” Mike said from beside Will, pushing his food around. Will sputtered a bit, not knowing what to say.
“You don’t have to give her a harder time than she’s already having. I don’t get why you’re acting like this.”
“She’s lying to you- She- She’s been lying to you, and now she won’t even tell you the whole truth.”
“What are you even talking about?” Mike demanded, turing to face Will.
“She’s been having a hard time here and- and she’s lying about it still even though you found out the last time this happened.”
“Okay well I’m sure she feels real great with you constantly giving her those looks. Like, dude, what’s your problem with her?”
“My problem isn’t with her. My problem is that my- my best friend left me with radio silence for a year but, what, you could call El constantly? And write to her?”
“El’s my girlfriend it’s different.”
“And what am I?”
“My friend- My best friend. You know it’s not the same and- I don’t know maybe you should have reached out more then. Why is this all my fault?” Mike was defensive and looked away with arms crossed.
“Maybe I should have-? No, I did reach out. And then I stopped reaching out when you never responded, Mike. Sorry, I’m not important to you anymore. Sorry- Sorry, that I’m upset that El lies to you all the time. I’m so sorry, Mike. Lets just hurry up and get to Hawkins and-and take care of One and then you can go back to ignoring me.” This time, Will stormed away from the table, wiping hot tears away as they slipped down his face.
It hurt being different. It hurt loving someone who you knew didn’t love you the same way. Most of all, though, it hurt losing your best friend. Will had hoped that maybe for some reason things could at least go back to normal once he saw Mike in person, but that was unfortunately not the way things worked.
Will found himself out back behind the building. It smelled a bit from the nearby dumpsters, but it was quiet. He could cry and wallow in his own self pity for a bit before they went to save the world again. He thought he would get to do that alone, but crouched down and back pressed to the grimy brick was Eleven. She quickly scrubbed away her tears and looked up to Will.
“Will…”
“Uhm, hey…” He swiped at his chin were tears were collecting. Maybe he was being harsh on Eleven. He was a big fat liar too. He carefully approached before going to sit beside her. They sat in silence for a moment before Will spoke up again.
“You should tell Mike the truth. I doubt he would think poorly of you. I don’t think he’s capable of it,” he said softly, tilting his head back against the brick.
“You do not understand what it is like.” Will furrowed his eyebrows at that but didn’t look over at her yet.
“What do you mean? I’ve been bullied my whole life. You know this.” Will finally opened his eyes to look over at her. Eleven shook her head.
“No, you do not get it. You- When they make fun of you, they are wrong. When they bully me for being a freak, they are not wrong. I am a freak.” She whispered the last sentence, looking to Will. “You and Mike would not understand.”
Will squirmed a bit under her gaze and the assumption. He quickly looked away and fiddled with his sleeves.
“You’re wrong about that. I am a- a freak. Sure, I guess, when I get bullied for liking Dungeons and Dragons that’s not the same, but-” Will struggled with the words and if he even wanted to say it. “I’m not normal either,” he whispered. “I don’t have crazy powers or anything, but I- I don’t like girls, El. I like boys. I’m a freak.” The words were barely audible and for a while the only sound was the shoulder hitching sobs Will was trying to suppress.
Finally, a small hand settled on his shoulder. Eleven had gotten closer and looked directly into Will’s eyes when he turned to look at her. Her gaze was soft now. Understanding if not a bit confused.
“I do not understand completely how that makes you a freak, Will, but I do not think you are one. And even if you are, so am I. We are freaks together.” Will let out a choked laugh.
“Yeah… Yeah freaks together,” he said hiccuping between his words. Tears sprung to Eleven’s eyes again and the two siblings collided together in a crushing hug. They stayed like that for a while, slightly rocking and basking in a mutual understanding.
Enough time passed with them being gone for the others to grow worried. Jonathan was the one to find them, huddled together no longer crying but still clearly not completely fine. He dropped down in front of them and reached out.
“Hey what’s wrong?” Eleven and Will shared a look.
“Okay, well listen. I know things are pretty crazy right now again, but- You guys can talk to me. You know that, right? About anything. If you don’t feel like it now that’s fine. We gotta get heading home anyway, but for real. I’m here for you- both of you- if you need it, alright?” Both nodded after a second. Jonathan nodded and stood up, offering them both a hand.
“Alright, then lets get you two home, yeah? I think Mike is starting to panic about you guys being gone anyway.” And so the two of them took Jonathan’s hands and stood. It was already such a long day.
===
That night, they all piled in Argyle’s pizza van, bags packed with the essentials. Jonathan hefted a cooler with drinks and food into the back and spread out some bedding so people could lay down on more than a couple blankets. He helped the three younger teens load there duffel bags in and herded them into the van before they set off on their trip. Jonathan took the first shift of driving, Argyle quickly passing out in the passanger seat. Will and Mike sat in the back seats, letting Eleven spread out and sleep in the back. The radio softly playing was the only real noise in the van as they drove further and further from Lenora.
Mike shifted around in his seat for a few minutes before scooting closer to Will.
“Hey, Will,” he said barely above a whisper. The other teen looked away from where he was staring out the window, raising his eyebrows in question.
“Listen, uhm, I just wanted to appologize for earlier. I was being a real dick, both at lunch and, uhm, also y’know the whole time you were gone. I-... I don’t really know why I acted that way it’s- Real fucking shitty of me.” He huffed out a self depricating laugh. “You don’t deserve that. And, uh, El and I talked and she told me the truth of everything. We kinda had an argument, but I guess she already had it with me? So it’s really weird to argue with someone that already knows what you’re going to say? Anyway, it kinda just made me realize I’ve been shitty to both of you guys.” He fizzled off and held out his hands in a sort of ‘I don’t know what else to say’ gesture. Will shifted to face him better.
“Thanks.” He wasn’t sure were to go from there, so Mike leaned closer and bumped Will’s shoulder with his fist.
“Well, thanks for knocking some sense into me earlier.” He smiled for a moment before leaning away again as his smile faded. “I think- I think I just have this fear that no one is going to need me anymore,” he said, voice going lower and softer. He didn’t look at Will.
“I’m scared that El won’t need me around anymore. I mean when I found her in the woods she just needed someone- anyone , and I was just the lucky asshole who ran into her. And I know for a while there I was blinded with having a girlfriend and totally fucking left you hanging there, man, but I’m-... I’m scared you don’t need me either. I know it sounds shitty, but when you stopped trying to reach out I thought, well this is it. He doesn’t need me anymore. And El, she talks about you sometimes and mentions that you might like someone and- I don’t know I guess I thought it’s better if I cut things off before you end them for me.” He paused for a moment and looked to Will.
“It’s okay you can call me an asshole-”
Mike froze, staring at Will as silent tears began to roll down his cheeks. Without much thought, Mike scrambled to get closer hands not knowing what to do as they went for his face, hovered for a split second, and eventually settled on Will’s shoulders.
“Woah woah okay hey what’s wrong?” Will gave him a wobbly smile, sniffled, and wiped away some tears.
“You are a huge asshole.”
Mike was frozen once again before he quickly pulled Will into a hug. Will didn’t hesitate to cling to him, grabbing fistfuls of the back of his shirt. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity before breaking apart. Will continued to softly sniffle and wipe away tears, but he still kept his slightly wobbly smile.
“You should know I’m always going to need you, Mike,” Will said, voice cracking some from crying. “I mean who else cared enough to come after me as you did before?” Mike huffed out a laugh.
“Yeah… It was kinda crazy of me.”
Silence fell over them again, and for a while, both boys were content to keep it that way. Will’s crying subsided. His eyes wandered down to his backpack with the painting sticking out of it. Well, now would be as good of a time as any. Will grabbed it and looked at Mike who was watching him with a raised eyebrow.
“What is that anyway?” He asked which prompted Will to slip the painting out of the cardboard casing. He spread it out on the seat with shaking hands. Mike loomed over as he tried to figure out what it was.
“It’s, uhm, the party.” He named each person, pointing them out on the painting and saying what they were to the group before ending with Mike.
“And, that’s you. The crest on your shield has a heart because- uhm- well you’re the heart of the party. You’re what pulls us all together and keeps us going.” He trailed off, continuing to stare at it in fear of looking at Mike. Mike, though, was staring right at him.
“You’re wrong.” That response got Will to look up with a confused look and an abrupt ‘huh?’.
“You’re wrong,” Mike said again, firmer this time. “I’m not the heart of the party. You are. I mean, sure I’ve led the charge on some things, but you’re the reason why I- we are even charging into battle to begin with. You’re the one who was insistent on still playing D&D when we all had our heads in our asses about girls the other summer. You, Will the Wise, are the heart of the party. Not me.”
Will’s mouth went dry, and he thought he might start crying again or something. His face felt impossibly hot. He was eternally grateful for the very limited light in the van at night. What was he supposed to do with that information? Will continued to remain in stunned silence as Mike guided his hands to roll up the painting once again and pushed them and the painting towards Will’s chest.
“The painting is amazing by the way. You’ll have to show everyone when we get to Hawkins and aren’t, y’know, dealing with this Vecna/One creep.” Mike smiled at him and Will beamed back. His hands still shook as he put the painting away, but he felt better.