Chapter Text
He missed it. The chaos of the mornings: Nancy taking ages in the bathroom, Holly shouting down the house that breakfast is ready, Ms Byers scrambling to gather her things before rushing out the door, Jonathan and Will's tame arguments over some early morning minor inconvenience. Everyday he woke up in his college dorm room, he found himself missing it more. Now he was sharing a dorm room with someone he barely even saw and didn’t know how to talk to. He missed his friends; El, Dustin, Lucas, Max…Will. Mike never thought moving on would feel so… shit. El was gone gone and the others were probably living their best lives at college, truly finding themselves. That's what he told himself at least. He wanted to phone them all the time. He wanted to see how they were, talk about what movies they've watched recently, how you're getting on when your mum isn't cooking you dinner every night anymore. He wanted to talk so badly to Will about what his next art endeavour was, just getting to listen to him happily ramble about something he loves… But he never did.
Childhood friends drift away with time anyway, right?
The sun crept through the gaps in the blinds, hitting Mike in the face and snapping him out of his brooding. He leaned back in his chair with a sigh, lifting his glasses up off his face and rubbing his eyes. The glasses fell back into place on his nose again when he looked back down at the story he’d been attempting to write. Mike had hit a brick wall. Each week he spent at college, the less inspired he felt himself getting. As if something was literally eating away at him. The sun still hitting him directly in the eyes wasn't helping either. Mike stood up and reached over his desk, about to grab the curtain when he heard it.
“--ike.”
He looked at the walkie that was sitting on his bedside table.
I thought that thing was turned off.
Mike pulled the curtain shut, turning to then switch the desk lamp on. It came on with a flicker. He looked at it a moment longer… Well, maybe he was finally going crazy after all. Vecna was beat, at least like a year or two ago. The Mind Flayer and the Upside Down were gone. Completely destroyed. They won. They moved on. Flickering lights mean nothing.
“–an yo– ear me?”
Mike looked at the walkie again, he definitely heard something that time.
Must have knocked it at some point… Probably not tuned into a frequency properly and it's just picking up some random–
“–ke, yo– whe- r- ou?”
Mike walked over and picked it up. Definitely going crazy, it isn't even on, no battery, dead. So he must be dreaming. Did he miss his alarm again and his body is trying to tell him something? Mike dropped the walkie on his bed, sitting down next to it. He stared at it for a moment, waiting for it to say something again. But it didn't. He grabbed his shoes off the floor from next to him, chucking them on and standing up. Mike glanced down at the walkie one last time, just one last chance. Nothing. He'd been sitting in this dorm room almost all weekend, some fresh air might actually do him some favours. He left the room, making sure to grab his jacket on the way out.
Mike aimlessly walked down the steps, only taking the occasional glance at whoever walked up past him or those who decided to overtake him. He definitely got his exercise in with the amount of steps he had to go up and down almost everyday. He always wondered what he did to deserve being on the top floor of a dorm that had no lift. Sure, it was only 4 floors but his point still stood.
Great.
A couple giggling and all up in each other's personal space. His hazel eyes were fixated on her face, her cheeks framed with long black curls. One of her hands twirling his brown hair between her fingers, whilst the other placed lovingly against the yellow leather of his jacket. They were almost taking up half the space of the staircase. Mike sighed, side stepping past them. He picked up the pace, attempting to get out of range of the overwhelmingly smitten couple that was making their love life everyone's problem behind him. It's like some people don't realise there's more to a relationship than just kissing. Eventually, he reached the bottom of the staircase. Mike walked over to the vending machine, checking his jacket pockets for any kind of change and giving it up to the hunk of metal in front of him. He picked the same old can of coke he always opts for, as if there were no other choices inside. The door next to him opened, the breeze coming in from the cold November weather sending his neatly kept hair into his eyes. Mike brushed it out the way, catching a glance of the couple that walked through as they headed for the staircase. The girl's laughter echoed through the quiet lobby. That same lame yellow leather jacket— The coke can hit the bottom of the tray in the vending machine. Mike bends down and takes the can, standing back up to look out the window of the door. The sun was slowly getting swallowed by the clouds, the weather looked like it was going to take a turn.
No thanks.
Mike spun around, heading back for the stairs up to his dorm room. He was halfway up when someone came scrambling down the stairs in front of him, bumping right into his arm.
"Shit.” Mike spoke as the coke can hit the steps, bursting.
"Oh man, Mike, I am so sorry!" The guy spoke, shoving his hands in his pockets and finding the exact amount of change Mike just spent. "This should make up for it."
Mike barely even reacted as the change was shoved into his hand by this guy he's never met before. Dejected, Mike shoved the change into the same pocket it just came out of and just stared blankly at the mess that had been made on the steps.
"Making a mess, Wheeler?" A voice spoke from behind him. Mike turned to see a man with a mop and bucket walking down the steps behind him. Convenient.
"Sorry—"
"It's alright, kid, happens all the time." Mike just nods in response, backing up the stairs as the janitor mopped up the bubbling puddle.
Mike made it back to the dorm room, after practically accomplishing nothing.
Useless.
He threw himself down on his bed, staring up at the one way sign that was stuck on the wall above him. His gaze slowly falling onto the painting Will had given him on their quest to find El. The longer he stared at it, the more he felt like—
A loud ringing sound was going off in Mike's ear. He reached his arm out, smacking the alarm clock on the side next to him. He opened his eyes with a grumble. Morning already? He must have been really tired last night. Mike couldn't even remember going to bed at all. He pulled the covers off. Okay, really tired. He didn't even get changed fully, having fallen asleep in a polo shirt and jeans. The sun was hitting him in the face. He forced himself up out of bed, shuffling over to his desk and shutting the blinds fully. He went to lie back down, another 10 minutes couldn't hurt, but there was still light hitting his pillow. Wasn't just that, now that he thought about it, there was no way the sun could have been hitting him from the window. That noise as well. It sounded like chatter but it wasn't coming from outside his door. It was coming from... Mike leaned his ear closer to the painting. Yeah. From there...
The door to the dorm room swung open.
”What are you doing?” A voice questioned from the opening in the door. It was just Mike’s roommate. Some jock who looked irritatingly almost like Jason Carver. It was another thing to add to the list of reasons why college was actually hell. His roommate was a constant reminder of some guy who spent too much of his time making snide remarks at him (and Hellfire Club) for most of that year in high school. Mike turned and glared at him. The dude probably snuck into his girlfriend’s dorm for the night. Another normie who was a cheerleader in high school, until she had some freak accident where she broke a couple bones and couldn't cheer anymore.
“None of your business.” Mike retorted, his disdain clear as day in his tone of voice. He moved away from where he was leaning against the wall, sitting down on the bed, staring daggers into his roommate.
”Jesus, relax, I was just grabbing a change of clothes and then I’ll be gone.” His roommate walked over to his drawers, rummaging through his clothes and grabbing basically the same as what he was wearing already.
“See.” He held the shirt and jeans up in Mike's direction. “Simple as that.” He walked back out, shutting the door behind him. Mike turned his attention back to the painting. The chatter was gone and so was the light that was shining through. He backed off his bed.
Mike changed his clothes and put his shoes on, ready to leave and go to class. He opened the door, almost stepping out the room to leave but he shot the painting another glance.
Screw it.
He knows it would eat away at him for the rest of the day. That curiosity… or maybe just the fact he needed the clarification he’s not actually going stir crazy. Mike shut the door, dropped his bag to the floor and walked back to the painting. He ran his finger down the edge of the canvas, taking one more moment to look at it before he pulled it up off the wall from the corner.
What…?
A whole new image, taking up exactly the same amount of space as the painting did. It looked like the night sky. Mike slowly reached his arm out forwards, expecting to come into contact with the wall but it passed straight through, like an open window. It didn’t make any sense. Mike rested both his hands on the bottom of the opening.
Feels like…
He stuck his head through the opening this time instead. A road. And looked to his right and then his left. That’s his house? Mike leaned out the window, back into the reality of his dorm room. He stepped back off his bed, staring at this new opening. It was definitely wider than the width of his shoulders…
I could fit.
Mike plants his foot on his bed, grabbing the at the wall, he pulls himself through the opening and onto the road. He stumbled to his feet, brushing the dirt from the road left on his hands off on his jeans. Mike walks from the main road and round the side of his house. The outside light turns on and the door opens. Out walks Lucas, Will and… himself? This was… he recognises this. Dustin walks out last. Mike takes a few steps backwards.
“There’s something wrong with your sister.” Dustin spoke. This was the night Will went missing. Mike zoned out. It was already a night that he had spent countless hours attempting and failing to forget. This was the night that everything changed. That Will went through literal hell and there was nothing that he could do. That Will never really was the same after everything. No matter how much Will tried to act like he was fine, Mike always saw straight through. But Mike played along anyways, especially knowing how much Will had started hated people fussing over him all the time.
“Just saying!” A little Dustin yelled as he peddled past Mike on his bike. It snapped Mike out of the spiral he was slowly going down, forcing him to return to the events unfolding in front of him.
“It was a seven…” Mike muttered to himself, at the same time as Will spoke. He felt a lump in his throat. A sinking feeling in his chest. He wanted to move, run to that younger version of Will. Stop him from biking home. Stop him from coming across that Demo. Stop him from going missing. Stop everything that was going to follow. The possession. All that suffering. Let him keep his childhood… Mike watched as Will biked away. His head snapping back to his own younger self as the light above him flickered. Mike furrowed his brow, his eyes fixed on the light. Mike's younger self turned out the light and went back indoors, but current Mike just stood there. He finally blinked, looked around him, his eyes falling on an almost man shaped shadow amongst the trees near the back of his house.
“How long has he been missing?” Nancy shouted, pacing back and forth. Will watched as Jonathan was attempting and failing to calm her down. Robin was sitting on the sofa nearby, her bouncing leg was stressing Will out even more.
“Nance, freaking out like this isn’t going to help us find him any faster.” Jonathan spoke. Nancy shot daggers at him.
“Is this you telling me to calm down? How am I supposed to be calm?” Nancy continued. “Mike is missing, Jonathan, and we don’t even know how long he’s actually been gone!”
Will let out a shaky breath. Jonathan tried to say something but no words came out. They had not long got back from regrouping with Dustin, Steve, Nancy and Jonathan at Hawkins Lab. Now they were at Hopper and El’s cabin. Dustin and Steve were both trying to keep Lucas preoccupied and his mind off of Max, the three of them dotted around El’s room. An unconscious Max was safe (after Vecna attempted to send those Demodogs after her) and still at the hospital but in a different wing, under watch by Robin's 'really good friend' Vickie. El was in the tub, desperately trying to find Mike. It had been ages. Will didn’t know how long exactly, he had lost track of the time.
There was a knock, followed by a creak and water sloshing around. Nancy stopped ranting, waiting in anticipation. El walked up to them slowly, water dripping onto the floor, blood still trickling from her nose.
“Anything?” Nancy asked, the desperation causing her voice to crack. El frowned, she averted her gaze from Nancy’s teary eyes, shook her head.
“It’s like when I tried to find Will. He’s there for a moment but I can’t find exactly where.” El explained, best she could. Will could feel his eyes welling up. Nancy dropped down on the sofa beside Robin, her head falling into her hands. Robin placed her hand gently on Nancy’s back, trying to prove some kind of comfort even though it wasn’t her strong suit. Will breathed heavy through his nose, he stood up. He walked over to El to offer her a hand to take a seat herself.
“I need fuel for my battery. Then I can try again.” She spoke, her sad eyes meeting Will’s, her hand landing on Will's arm.
“El–” Will started.
“Running yourself into the ground isn't going to help us find Mike any faster.” Hopper said as he walked over, a towel in hand and followed by Joyce. “None of us have had a proper rest since we got back from the Upside Down.”
Will stayed quiet, taking a step back from El and slinking away to where he was sat before. Hopper lowered the towel over El’s shoulders. She wiped the blood from her nose on the corner of the towel.
“I just don’t understand. Why Mike? Why doesn’t Vecna want us to find him?” Steve chimed in, standing in the doorway of El’s bedroom.
Will couldn’t stop thinking about what Vecna’s play was. Why take Mike? Which one of them was he trying to get to? El? Nancy? … Himself? Vecna’s been inside his head, he knows his feelings towards Mike… But why would he weaponise that? The thought of Mike getting targeted just because of him sent shivers down his spine. Nancy, still trying to bite everyone’s heads off, was working as a distraction from his thoughts. Hopper was doing everything in his power to not start an actual argument with her, trying to keep calm as she continued her rant. Will had never seen her so stressed and panicked. It felt so out of character. But her baby sister was missing, her parents were both in the hospital in critical condition and now her little brother was missing. Then just to top things off, they were nowhere near closer to figuring out what happened to him. How else was she supposed to be reacting?
Dustin, Steve and Lucas removed themselves from El’s room, joining the others in the main living space. El slowly got up and walked into her room, shutting the door.
“Vecna showed me that he was going to target Mike. I should have done more. I should have been more vigilant. I should have kept a closer eye on him. I should have–” Nancy kept going and going until the crack in her voice stopped the words, letting her tears run rampant. There was silence amongst them all. Nancy fell into Jonathan’s embrace. Glances were being passed back and fourth, everyone expecting someone else to do something. Joyce sat down beside Will, placing a hand on her son’s back.
“How are you holding up?” She asked. Will just looked at her. Not saying anything, he couldn’t say anything. His bottom lip trembled as he tried to say literally anything. Joyce pulled him in closer. Will rested his forehead against his mother’s shoulder, hiding his face from the rest of the group. He could feel himself losing his already fragile composure.
Then El’s door slammed open, a bandana pulled down around her neck, blood dripped from both nostrils this time. The crackling from the radio in her room seeped into the room full of people, filling the silence that was only broken by Nancy’s hushed sobs into Jonathan’s chest.
“I saw him.” She tried to catch her breath. “It was only for a couple minutes but it was clear. More than before.”
“I told you to take a break.” Hopper scolded her, going to her side to help her stand. Joyce got Will’s attention again.
“I know you’re worried about Mike…” She spoke and she kept speaking. Will couldn’t divide his attention enough. He needed to listen to the plan they were making. Eleven knows where Mike is. But Joyce trying to comfort him was just— Will’s attention is brought to the main group as they go to gather their things. Have they made a plan already?
“Joyce, Will, stay here with El. Make sure she actually rests this time.” Hopper instructed.
“I can help. Let me help.” El demanded.
“No.” Hopper doubled down, making sure he kept eye contact with El. “Right now, you need rest. I know you want to help, I know you want to fight, but you’re going to hurt yourself. You’ve done most of the hard work alone already, let us take some of the weight. Take a deserved rest.”
“We’ll find him.” Lucas reassured her. Dustin gave her a pat on the shoulder as he walked past her with Steve and Robin, followed by Jonathan and a slightly more composed Nancy. Will watched them all leave, opening his mouth to say something but no words came out. El followed them to the door, stopping in the entrance by Hopper and just holding her hands on the doorframe. Hopper planted a kiss on his daughter’s forehead before leaving with the rest of the rescue party.
“Where are they going?” Will asked, directing it straight at El, his voice almost demanding and somewhat desperate. El turned around, being met by the stern look on Will’s face. She closed the front door, then joined Will and Joyce on the sofas.
“A lake.”
“A lake?” Will questioned. “That’s barely enough information. Do you know how many lakes there are in Hawkins?”
“All Dustin said was ‘watergate’.” El elaborated. Though that clearly wasn’t enough information for Will.
“What does that even mean?” Will questioned, the growing frustration becoming more and more obvious in his voice. He threw himself back on the sofa, staring up into the ceiling of the cabin.
“I don’t know. They can’t get to the Upside Down from the lab, the military will be waiting for them there. So Dustin said watergate. Lucas understood.”
“Useless.” Will muttered under his breath, loud enough for Joyce to catch. Joyce raised an eyebrow at him.
“Look, I know you two are both worried but everything’s going to be fine.” Joyce extended a hand out to El to take. El shuffled down the sofa, taking Joyce’s hand in her own. Will softened his expression, lowering his head down again and meeting El’s eyes. He scanned the cabin.
Wait, where did everyone go?
The scenes changed. Mike had tried to walk away but he was turned around and sent straight back to his house again. But this time it was raining heavily. Mike went for the door, walking inside but it led straight into his basement. Confused, he walked down a couple steps. He could hear talking? Arguing?
“I said forget it, Mike, okay! I’m going home.” Will stormed past him. Followed by himself. Mike followed them through the house and back outside. Mike felt his breathing get heavier.
“Will, come on, you can’t leave. It’s raining. Listen, I said I was sorry, alright.” Mike stared at himself for a moment before walking straight past, refusing to relive the moment. He kept walking. Far away enough that he couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation. Then it happened again, he was turned around and facing his house. He let out a sigh, repeating what he did last time, he walked up to the door and went in.
Mike opened his eyes and he was lying in bed in his dorm room again. He rubbed his eyes. His head was pounding. He forced himself upright, his head heavy, and looked straight up at where the painting was on his wall. Mike slowly reached for the corner of the painting, pulling it up off the wall, expecting the same opening to be there again.
So it was just a dream. A really shit dream.
Mike let out a sigh as he let the painting fall back down against the wall, dropping back down into his bed. He looked to his right, no roommate again. Or so he thought, until the door swung open again.
“What are you doing?”
“What?” Mike turned his head, looked at his roommate in the doorway. He was wearing some plain t-shirt and jeans, the same clothes he was wearing yesterday.
“Jesus, relax, I was just grabbing a change of clothes and then I’ll be gone.” His roommate spoke as he walked into the room, rummaging through his drawers. Mike leaned over, trying to get a better look at what he was about to take out. The roommate stopped and looked at Mike. Mike sat back up straight in the bed, acting like he didn’t just get spotted.
“Aren’t you meant to be getting ready for something?” His roommate asked, his voice monotone and almost sinister. Mike’s eyes widened, he looked away. His eyes darted around the room. Mike got stared at for a moment longer, he was trying to act like he didn’t notice.
“See.” His roommate spoke again, his tone shifting back like nothing happened. “Simple as that, I’m done.” Mike stayed still as his roommate backed out the door, closing it with a slam. He stayed still in his bed. His breathing was heavier. He swallowed, why was his throat so dry? That dream must have really got to him.
Shit, I have class.
Mike shot out of bed, scrambling to change his clothes and find wherever he threw his bag the other day. He found his bag under his desk, checking it quickly to make sure he had all his books… and one was missing. Mike scanned the room, eyes darting along his desk and shelves. It was next to his bed. He walked over picking it up. He stopped for a moment. His walkie. Mike dropped to his knees, looking under the bed. Not there. He stood back up, on his desk? Not there. Did he leave it on his bed? He walked back to his bed, flipping the covers over. It’s not there either. He knew he didn’t need it. The party were too far away to even make it useful, but he kept it around anyway. Mike heard talking from outside his door, he looked at his clock. He’s gonna be late. He made one last scan of the surroundings of his bed, hoping maybe the walkie will appear magically in front of him and he can stop worrying about it. No luck. He grabbed the book from next to his bed, shoving it into his bag and shooting out the door.
Will was jolted awake by Joyce shaking his shoulder, positioning himself upright and attempting to make sense of what was currently happening. It had gotten dark since everyone had left, Will couldn’t find the clock on the wall to figure out the time. He rubbed his eyes, clearing them up enough to notice El hunched over his walkie-talkie.
“I don’t know.” El spoke down the walkie. She was sitting in Hopper’s recliner chair, just across from Will, walkie in one hand and head in the other.
“They found Mike.” Joyce explained, Will snapped his attention towards her. “He’s alive, breathing, but he won’t wake up. They think he’s still under Vecna's control, even after what they pulled him out of.”
“He’s your boyfriend, how do you not know his favourite song?” Dustin remarked, his voice crackling through the walkie. El's brows furrowed, she went to respond, as if she was about to correct Dustin.
“What’s going on?” Will asked. El looked over at him.
“Dustin, Lucas, Jonathan and Robin are in Mike’s room. They are trying to find music to use for Mike, to help wake him up.” El explained. Will stood up, he crossed the room to where El was seated. He gently took the walkie from her hand.
“Dustin, can you get Jonathan?” Will spoke down the radio, there wasn’t a response. “Hello? Dustin?”
“Will? What’s wrong?” It was Jonathan. Will started pacing, his heart felt like it was trying to escape him.
“In the basement, you know where I keep my notebooks. One of them is my sketchbook. Mike’s Walkman should be on top of it, there’s a tape in it still. Try that one.” Will explained. He stopped pacing, only now just having realised that he was. Maybe spending the last 18 months at the Wheeler house finally made some of Mike’s habits rub off on him. Will turned and looked down at El, how worried she looked was breaking him. Will placed the walkie down on the table just in front of El, kneeling next to her. He pulled her into his arms, holding her close and tight. She buried her face into his neck, muffling her soft sobs as she finally broke down.
They were taking so long. It felt like it had been forever. Did Jonathan find the tape that Will was talking about? Will thought he explained exactly where he meant perfectly…
“I found it.” Jonathan finally said something. “Hopper is on his way to regroup with you guys, just stay put for now.” Will looked to his mum, still holding El close.
They stayed put, it had been maybe 20 minutes since Jonathan had told them to. Finally, that coded knock echoed from the door; the one that Hopper used to always let El know it was him. The door opened, El rushed up from where she was leaning on Will, having moved from the recliner chair to the sofa so they could sit together.
“How is he?” El questioned, barely even giving Hopper enough time to get through the door. Hopper let out a sigh. He shut the door behind him. He directed El back to the sofa.
“He’s still not waking up.”
“The music worked for Max though, why isn’t it working for Mike?” Will questioned.
“I don’t have all the answers, kid.” Hopper said, splitting his attention between Will and El. He was attempting to make some sense of both of their reactions, wanting to anticipate what’s going to be said or done next. Will stared through Hopper.
“Maybe it’s not like what he did to Max.” Will looked to El. “Maybe it’s more like how you found me? When Vecna trapped me elsewhere, after I went in his head.” El looked from Will to Hopper, then directing Hopper’s attention to the tub.
”I will find him again.”
Class had finished and now Mike was occupying his time in the library, attempting to make sense of his notes. But his head was elsewhere. That dream he had last night. There was something about it that felt too real, like he was actually back there at that moment. In that memory. It didn't make sense. Mike was tapping his pencil against his notebook, the notes he had taken in class were making just as much sense as what he saw. Every page wS just weird scratchings of letters, almost forming actual words. Mike shot a look at the person sat a few seats away from him. Libraries are meant to be somewhere you quietly get to study, not have to listen to someone else's music. Mike sat there for a moment longer, zoned in on the song that they were listening to. He closed the book, picking it up and putting it into his bag. He knew what song that was and right now he didn't need another reminder of Will. Mike got up, throwing his bag over his shoulder and shoving the chair back under the table. He made his way through the aisles of books and to the exit.
Mike walked through the corridor, taking the same path he always does. But it was quieter than usual. He stopped and looked behind him, then turned back in front of him.
Where is everyone?
Mike lifted his arm up, pulling his sleeve out the way to check the time. But there was no time on his watch. He’s had this watch for ages, maybe the battery finally needs changing. He took a couple paces forward. Then he stopped. Mike looked to his left. That door was new. It was meant to be leading out to the courtyard but the door never looked like that… It kind of looked like… And that song again, he could hear it playing out the tannoy speaker that was situated above the door.
Mike approached it, being guided by the bizarre sense of familiarity, he grabbed the handle slowly and opened it. He walked through. He was back outside his house again, Mike looked at the bikes that were thrown on the floor. It was at night from his dream again, the night Will went missing. But this time there was someone who wasn’t meant to be there yet standing right in front of him.
“El?” Mike took a step back. This isn't real. Eleven is gone. Mike knows this. But she looks so real and she's walking towards him. She raised her hands, placing one on either side of his face.
"I am going to get you out of here."