Home Strangerthingau

Chapter 26

What to Fight For

"Girls?" Joyce's voice came from the other side of El's door. El and Max had been in her room for about two hours just talking to one another.  Max got up from her spot on El's bed and opened the door to let Joyce in. "You girls hungry? I'm about to make some sandwiches for lunch, do you want one?"

El and Max looked at each both wanting the other to answer the question. After about five seconds of silence Max turned back to Joyce making an executive decision. "Yeah. We'll eat. Plus, we can't stay cooped up here forever. I'm sure other people want to catch up with you too." Max stated to El who was standing up from her place on the bed.

"Okay." She replied simply. She took Max's arm in hers and both of the girls walked out of the room following Joyce down the stairs to the living room where everyone was still seated.

"Hey El!" Hopper said walking over to her with a smile small on his face. He still couldn't believe she was home and safe and alive. He knew he would never let anything hurt her ever again. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." She smiled shyly. "A lot better." It was the truth she was speaking. She felt a lot better than the day before, because the day before she didn't know if she would ever see her family again. She didn't know if Joyce was understanding her pleads for help. But now here she is, back under the roof of her own home, happy to be with the people she cared about. But that doesn't change what happened the entire year she was gone. Yes, she had gone through this before but the first time she was stuck in the lab, she didn't have anything to fight for. She didn't know the outside world or what it was like. So, why would she fight for something she didn't know.

The second time around she did have something to fight for, however. She knew what was on the other side of the walls. She knew there were beautiful places in the world, a lot she didn't even see yet, but she wanted to see them. She knew there were people out there that were kind and considerate, and she wanted to meet more of those people. She knew there was people that cared about her that were grieving for a loss that wasn't even real. She tried to tell them what happened but they kept trying to push her away in their minds and try to get over losing their friend, sister, or daughter. She wanted to tell them she was okay, that she was alive, to have them stop hurting. That's what made her fight. And that's what made this time around a living hell.

"Can someone help me in the kitchen, please?" Joyce asked already walking toward the kitchen.

"I'll help." El volunteered quickly following behind her, leaving everyone else in the living room.

"Thank you." Joyce smiled gratefully, grabbing the bread for the sandwiches.

"No problem." El replied softly. The two began to make sandwiches in silence, both really not knowing what to say to one another. They wanted to talk, they just didn't know where to start.

Soon the sandwiches had gotten done and Joyce felt like her time to talk to El alone was closing. So, before El left the kitchen Joyce stopped her.

"El? Honey, can we talk real quick?" Joyce asked sitting down at the table, earning a nod from El who sat beside her. They both turned their chairs so they could face one another. Joyce grabbed El's hands and held them in hers as a source of comfort for the girl. El and Joyce met each other's eyes both feeling vulnerable. "I won't keep you for long I just wanted to have a one-on-one with you." Joyce smiled softly.

Once again El nodded in response.

"I just have to ask you one question." Joyce stated.

"Okay." El looked up at with saddening eyes, like she was letting Joyce see what was really going on in her head.

"Out of all the people you could have talk to." Joyce whispered not wanting the others to hear. "Why did you choose me?"

El thought a her answer for a second. "Because you were the only one who let me in."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that everyone else just tried to keep me out of your minds, it got harder to try to talk to you guys." El explained. "Then one day I tried again and this time I got through to you. And I talk to you thinking you wouldn't hear me but you did. 'Cause I saw your reaction. You heard me, and you let me whenever I called after that."

"But Hopper said he could feel your presence in your room, did you try to talk to him?" Joyce pressed slightly.

"I did, he didn't hear me." El's eyes started to tear up.

"Come here." Joyce said opening her arms and letting El rest in her embrace. "I promise you. I promise you will never end up back in that lab and we will take care of Brenner. He's not going to hurt you or anyone else, okay?"

"Okay." El sniffled quietly letting a few tears drop.

"I love you so much sweetie and I'm so happy you're back." Joyce said still holding El.

"I love you too." El whispered back. The two girls left the embrace and dried up their tears before telling everyone that the food was ready. In El's mind, this was the best day of her life. Today, she was truly happy.

Authors note
Sorry I haven't updated recently, I've been busy but I have some good news for you guys. After about 2 months of procrastinating, I have finally finished and published the next chapter to Letters to El. Go and check it out if you haven't. When am I going to update the book again?

Good question.

Love ya❤️❤️❤️