Take Me Home

This idea has been sitting in my head for awhile now and was unintentionally prompted when I was doing my usual Stranger Things role play with my friend (shout-out to Katelyn over on Instagram!)

Title and story is loosely inspired by the song 'Take Me Home' by Ingrid Michaelson off of her Stranger Things inspired album "Stranger Songs". If you haven't had a chance to, highly recommend you take a listen.

Spoiler warning in effect if you have not watched through Stranger Things 3 yet!

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"You don't have to do this, you know?" Mike told El, holding her hand. "For all we know it could be destroyed."

El took a deep breath, looking at Mike. "I want to do this; see if there's anything worth saving." She whispers.

For the last two months, El had lived with the Byers family, and it was only recently that Mrs. Byers had announced that the family moving, and that included El. Mike was devastated; angry that he would have to be separated by El once more. But he knew that she would be safe, that she wasn't leaving to defeat some monster or hiding from anyone who used to work for the Lab, but she was leaving to start anew elsewhere and that's really what mattered.

The Party™, Nancy, Jonathan and Joyce had all volunteered to help in any way they could, cardboard boxes ready to go in the back of the Wheeler's car to easily store anything salvageable into.

Joyce pulled up to the Hopper Cabin, still in ruin from the battle with the Mind Flayer but standing in one piece. Mike could feel El tense up, and he squeezed her hand to calm her down slightly. She turns her head, and their eyes meet. "You sure you'll be okay?" he asks. After a moment, she nods.

"I'm ready," she tells him. With a nod, the duo get out of the vehicle, trailing behind everyone else while walking hand in hand up to the entrance. Despite his feelings for her, Mike decided that the best thing for El is to support her and be a friend first. The group turned to look at the two of them, waiting for El to give the okay to open the door. The boy let go of her hand, watching as she slowly ascended the steps, opening the door.

Everything was left exactly as it had been when they fled that night; furniture and broken dishware scattered the floor, the games cabinet toppled to the floor. Mike followed the telekinetic inside as she took in the sight before her. Memories of that night flashed in his mind; the giant monster, El dangling from the ceiling screaming for her life, holding her in his arms after Lucas had successfully cut the appendage off of the creature that was attempting to grab her, the blood. Whenever he closed his eyes, he would think about that night over and over again, and he wasn't the only one.

Sometimes, he would wake up from frequent nightmares; all ranging from the memory of losing El, to being a victim of the demogorgon. It's something he never really delve into with anyone, silently suffering but not wanting to worry anyone.

He opens his eyes when he hears El sniffle, his eyes furrowing as he witnessed her body shake. Mike immediately walks up to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder to further ease her, and she places her hand on top of his as she began to cry.

"El, sweetheart, we can always come back." Joyce reminds her, coming closer to the pair. "N-No, I can do it. I'm sorry," El had replied, taking a few deep breaths. "You can get started." she ordered gently. The Byers matriarch nodded, ushering for everyone else to follow her as they went around the cabin.

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Jonathan and Lucas had sat the couch upright from where it had been set up during the Mind Flayer's raid. "Here, if you need a moment before you start," the elder Byers' sibling gestured with a gentle smile. "Thank you," the girl whispers as Mike guided her over. He sits next to her, and her hand slinks to find his, squeezing it tightly.

Dustin walked by the couple with an armful of Hopper's old shirts, ready to put them in the car. "W-Wait, Dustin?" El calls out to the curly-haired teen. "Yeah, what's up?" he cranes his neck to look at the two. "C-Can I see that?" she asks. "Sure, Ellie." he gives a toothy grin as he walks over. "All of it, or..." he asks. El gets up, taking the shirt at the very top. She holds it out, slowly bringing it close to her chest. "Y-You can take the rest of them to the car, now. Thank you,"

"No problem," he chirps before he proceeds back outside. Mike watches as she sits down, still holding the shirt. "This shirt was what made me realize you guys needed me back home."

"You mean when you went to see your sister?" Mike asks her. El nods. "Kali had brought it for me one night, along with the mask I wore when we found the man who hurt Mama. I don't know how she found me, though," she sighs through her nose.

"This is hard. I didn't think it would be this hard. It's just stuff that gets thrown away." she looks at Mike. "But they hold sentimental value," he replies. "Y-Yeah, that's why." she agrees with him. "Hey, El," Max walks over to her best friend. "We haven't touched your room yet. Did you want us to go in for you?" the redhead inquires.

"N-No, I can go in. I'll just need some help," she gestures for the two to follow her as they go into her bedroom, which was still standing in one piece.

El wasn't sure where she was supposed to start, as she had spent almost two years making the space her own. She sits down on the bed, feeling the blankets as she reminisced the times she and Mike kissed. Her heart pounded, but she shook her head. 'Focus,' she mumbled as she got up. "Here," Max brought a box over. "Let's start with the clothes," she tells her. The trio work to take down everything, deciding to leave the furniture as they loaded the rest of the boxes into the car.

"Is that everything?" Joyce asks.

"Oh, I forgot something. I'll be right back," El ran back into the house by herself. She ran for the floorboards, opening it and finding the boxes that contained files from the Lab, her Mama, and her dad's case when he worked as a detective in New York. She took a moment to look through them, becoming overwhelmed again as she came across an old picture of Hopper.

Tears streamed down her face as she held his picture close to her heart. She missed him; and she wished she still had her powers so that she could try and find him because she had a feeling he was still out there alive.

"El?" she hears Mike call for her as she wiped her eyes. "I-I'm sorry," she whimpers. "Don't be, it's okay." he kneels down next to her. "Can we go now? I-I can't stay here anymore." The place was still in disarray, but Mike nodded. "Come on," he stands, holding his hand out to her. She takes it, still holding Hopper's picture close as they both exit the Cabin for what seemed like the last time.