✓ | MISERY → madwheeler

nine

"Max!"

Max's head jerked up, tears streaked across her face, to see Dustin, Lucas, El, Will, Mrs. Byers, Steve, Nancy, Hopper, and Jonathan all climbing hurriedly out of two cars.

"Oh my God, oh my God, Dustin!" She said hysterically as he neared her, dropping to his own knees to look at Mike, who was still shaking uncontrollably.

"Okay, dipshit, move it." Steve said, gently pushing Dustin aside and putting his hand on Max's shoulders.

"Hey, Max, look at me." He said, tilting her face to mirror his. "What happened?"

Max shook her head, her lower lip trembling, and Steve glanced up and away from her towards Hopper, who said, "Me, Joyce, Nancy and Jonathan will get him to the car. You focus on the kids, okay?"

Steve nodded and gently grabbed Max's wrist, pulling her to her feet. "Alright, come on-"

"No!" Max shrieked, trying to wrench herself free from Steve. "No, no- Mike!"

"Woah, woah it's okay!" Lucas said, and El said, "Max, it's okay- everything's going to be okay. You have to come with us and get in the car so they can take care of Mike, and I need you to tell us what happened. We're going to the Byers'."

She focused her gaze steadily on Max's who whispered, "I can't just l-leave him by himself."

Steve shook his head. "You won't, kid. We'll be at the same place in no time, I promise. Just make it a little easier for 10 minutes until we get there, alright?"

Max bit her lip, and then slowly nodded, shakily letting Steve put her in the backseat of his car, El, Lucas, and Dustin filing behind her as Will sat in the front and shut the doors.

"Okay, Max, what happened?" El asked her gently.

Max took a deep breath and launched into the whole story from the beginning- how Mike had told her he loved her that day in the woods, how he had been rude the next day but protected her from Troy, how she had gone to see him at his house and he had told her to leave, and how he had come to her house the next day and told her he loved her before backing away again.

When she came to the part about Billy finding her, Steve let out a roar of outrage. "How dare that son of a-"

"It's okay, it's okay!" Max said hurriedly. "Mike came back and saved me, my mom showed up, and then we both left. And then. . .and then he kissed me and-"

"Oh, holy shit!" El squealed, and Steve grinned from the front seat. "Nice one, Mayfield."

Max's cheeks went red, and she mumbled, "Well, it's not like either of us really had time to enjoy it. He started. . .convulsing after it. God, it was the scariest thing I had ever seen."

"Yeah, I bet." Lucas said, and then turned and tapped Will on the shoulder, who turned.

"When the Mind Flayer was possessing you, how did it. . .how did it feel?"

Will shuddered. "It felt awful. There were times when I couldn't even. . .I couldn't even feel myself anymore. That was the scariest part."

"You yelled at Mike." Dustin said, his voice cracking. "You said he was lying and you. . .you didn't even know your own mom."

"So that means. . ." Lucas said slowly, and all four of them turned to look at Max, who's forehead wrinkled.

"What?"

El swallowed, and then said, "That means Mike is going to go for you, Max. He loves you. He admitted that to you. You're basically the only person that has seen him. . .like that."

Max's eyes widened. "Oh, God."

"What are we gonna do!?" Dustin groaned, putting his head in his hands. "He's freaking possessed!"

"Well no shit, Sherlock, I had no idea!" Lucas said, and Dustin raised up his head, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Hey, who was the guy who found food for you all during 6th and 7th grade when we were saving the world!? Huh!?"

"Oh, and I'm sure the world thanks you so much-"

"Guys!" Steve said. "Shut the hell up, please and thank you!"

Dustin crossed his arms, rolling his eyes, and then Steve pulled into the Byers' driveway,

They all tumbled out of the car as Steve cut the engine, and Max bolted to the front door, bursting into the warm house and glancing around.

"Where's Mike?" She asked frantically, and Nancy and Jonathan, who were standing in the front room together shared a look.

"Max, I don't think-" Nancy started, but Max cut across her.

"I call bull on your thinking!" She said angrily. "Where the hell is he!?"

"He's back there. With my mom and Hopper." Jonathan said quickly, and without another word Max strode past them and into the room, before seeing Mike on the couch, shuddering and slicked with sweat.

She crossed the room and dropped to her knees beside him, taking his face gently in her hands and kissing his sweaty forehead, ignoring the look Joyce and Hopper exchanged.

"Hey, Mike." She said gently, brushing strands of black hair off his head. "Hey. So, um, I know I didn't really and truly get to say it to you but I-"

She breathed deeply, her voice thick with a sob, and then spoke again, "I love you, Wheeler. You're annoying, and you're weird as hell, and you're so overprotective and confusing that it makes me want to scream but I love you."

She rested her head in next to his, closing her eyes and whispered, "I love you, Wheeler. Don't leave me, okay?"

Mike continued to gasp, and Max felt tears slide down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter and clutched the boy she had once hated close to her.

Because Max was afraid if she let go, she would lose him all over again.

AND HERE IS SEASON TWO YOU GUYS! i am so excited that so many of you wanted s2 and here it is!!! fun fact: i was going to unpublish this book after chapter two because i didn't think people would read it, and i'm so glad i didn't! vote and comment your thoughts on this for me, i'll see you soon!!!