The New Girl

chapter four

chapter four - november, 1983

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"Here you go," Mike said to the girl once he and Alex had build her a fort to sleep in, "this is my sleeping bag."

"You really think she's psycho?" Alex heard Dustin asked as they left Mike's basement.

"Wouldn't want her in my house," Lucas replied with as Alex sighed. Dustin sighed as Alex turned to the girl.

"Mental," Dustin said before he and Lucas left. Alex looked at the girl and smiled.

"Hey," she said, "we never asked your name." The basement door closed and the girl lifted up her sleeve on her left to reveal the tattoo '011'. Alex's eyes went wide as she stared at it. When she looked up, she saw the girl was looking at her.

"Seven," the girl said, pointing at Alex. Alex looked at the girl while Mike looked at the blonde, clearly confused.

"That's Alex," Mike said confused.

"No," Alex said as she looked at Mike with watery eyes. "It's Seven." Alex lifted up her left sleeve ad showed Mike the '007' tattoo she had. Mike's eyes went wide as he stared at it.

"That's real?" Mike asked, softly going over it with his fingers.

"Yeah," she said nodding.

"That's so cool," he said as Alex looked at him, a tear falling down her cheek. Mike reached his hand up and wiped her tear away.

"Sad?" the girl asked as Alex looked at her and smiled.

"I'm okay," she said, "we need to give you a nickname. How about El? Short for Eleven." El nodded as Alex smiled. She turned to Mike confused.

"I'm Mike," he said, "short for Michael." El nodded and turned back to Alex. "You know Alex, don't you?" El nodded. "Um, well, okay. Night, El." Alex smiled and stood up with Mike at her side.

"Goodnight El," Alex said smiling.

"Night Alex and Mike," El said, watching the two as they walked out of the basement, closing the door behind them.

"Al?" Mike said as they got to the front door.

"Yeah?" she asked, looking at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, "with what happened tonight?" She bit her lip. "Is there more to the story?"

"I don't know," she said, "but yes there's more."

"Tell me when you're ready," he said, "if you're ready."

"Thank you," Alex said, throwing her arms around Mike's neck and hugging him tightly. Mike smiled and hugged her back just as tight.

"Oh Alex dear." 

Alex and Mike's eyes went wide as they turned around and saw Karen standing there in a pink dressing gown and her pyjamas. 

"Jesse told me what happened with your nightmare, he said you'd most likely come over here and of course you're more than welcome to stay the night." Alex and Mike had to look like this wasn't news to them.

"Thank you," Alex said smiling lightly as Karen nodded.

"Anytime sweetheart," she said smiling, "sleep tight." Alex and Mike smiled at her and then when Karen left, they looked at each other before giggling quietly.

"Looks like you're staying over," Mike said, closing the door that was just opened.

"Looks like it," she said as the two of them walked up into Mike's bedroom.