The door slowly opened and a triumphant eleven stepped into the house of the Byers. A tinge of blood dripping from her nose. She looked at everyone in the room until her eyes settled on the one she was searching for.

Mike inched forward, not quite sure that what he was seeing was real, his face was that of shock and awe, their eyes met and eleven had a small smile etched upon her face, tears glistening ready to fall at a moments notice.

Mike however continued to look at her with almost longing, love struck. The pain of the previous year, the not knowing, the anger, the denial, the anguish felt like it was being washed away simply because she was there, stood in front of him. His face lit up with a smile of pure love, relief and happiness.

"Eleven" He said quietly, still shocked.

They moved to each other, drawn like magnets.

"Mike!" she gasped his name

And they immediately clung to each other, they rocked back and forth together, his face buried in the crook of her shoulder, Eleven cried tears of happiness as she hugged him tight to her, desperate to never let him go again. Their souls rejoiced at finally being reunited, for both of them fireworks went off in their hearts as their souls became one again.

They were broken, but they were together again.

"I never gave up on you, I called you every night, every night for…"

"353 days" she finished for him through her tears "I heard"

Mike became slightly confused

"why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?"

"Because I wouldn't let her" Hopper answered moving over "The hell is this? Where you been" hopper asked calmly

"where have you been?" she replied slightly angry as hopper pulled her into a one armed hug

A realization struck Mike like Lightning

"you've been hiding her, you've been hiding her this whole time!" he angrily shoved hopper

Hopper immediately turned and grabbed Mike by the scruff of his collar "Hey, hey, let's talk, Alone" he said firmly

Eleven watched as they walked into the other room

"Protecting her?! Protecting Her!" was all she heard before hopper closed the door, everyone else stood as they could heard snippets of their overly loud conversation, its was harder to hear what hopper was saying although what Mike was saying was clear as day.

"I don't blame her! I blame you! I blame you!" Mike yelled his voice starting to break

"that's okay kid, that's okay"

"No! Nothing about this is okay! Nothing about this is okay!" and Mike began to punch any part of hopper he could reach "you are a stupid, disgusting, lying, you piece of shit!" every word was shouted with a punch to Hoppers stomach "Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar!" at that point Mikes anger turned to one of heartbreaking pain as he cried as hopper hugged him, occasionally saying "I'm sorry kid"

In the other room Eleven began to tear up silently as she could hear and feel what was going on in the other room as Mike practically sobbed out his heart, she could feel his pain through the door, all that grief, anguish and sorrow from missing her, missing that vital piece of him, she felt the same being locked in that cabin 24/7

She reached out with her powers, soothing Mike's mind with her own as his cries echoed in her head, soothing him with her mental presence as she herself felt herself crumbling, her own soul in tatters, they needed each other, it was a force more powerful than God, drawing them together no matter what.

Some time later after their plans were formed for taking down the mind flayer both Mike and El stood together on the front porch.

"Just be careful alright? I can't lose you again" Mike said almost desperately

She shook her head "you wont lose me" her own voice full of emotion

"You Promise?" Mike asked insistently

Eleven looked into his eyes "Promise" she said firmly

They inched close to each other, their hearts racing…

"El, c'mon let's go, it's time" Hopper said by his SUV taking a final drag on a cigarette

El turned her attention back to Mike, she took a deep breath and he nodded fighting back the tears even though they were falling anyway.

As the SUV pulled out the Byers driveway, Eleven dared to turn look back through the window back to Mike who was stood in front of the porch, both of them watched as they grew further apart from each other. Eleven's eyes glistened with tears that she refused to let fall as she had to be strong now for him, for hopper for the world as she knew it.

Back on the porch a solitary tear fell down his face, watching her go again, not knowing whether or not she would come back to him again.

Both of them were Broken.

Broken without each other.