Chapter 7

Okay I feel I need to put a disclaimer here… I got a few messages and then a few reviews wondering if I've abandoned the story—don't worry, I haven't! I'm just busy with school so I haven't had too much time to do this on top of my other hobbies. Please don't think I've forgotten about this story, I truly plan on finishing this!

Mike, the older Mike; tall, thin, and surprisingly quiet (Most of the walk through the woods thus far was filled with a thirteen year-old Lucas arguing about something with a twenty-five year-old Dustin). El wasn't against Mike's silence, but it simply struck her as odd. She sensed an eery familiarity about him, but it seemed distant, foggy, and different. She guessed that made sense, considering this was Mike in the future.

"Is…" she started to speak, quietly so Lucas and Dustin wouldn't over hear, but loud enough to catch Mike's attention. Although, she felt she didn't have to speak up for him to hear her. "Is Mike still Mike?" she asked, looking at Mike's soft, but confused expression.

"Am I still the boy you know?" he asked, trying to clarify. He had almost forgotten how El had such trouble talking for a while. It reminded him how much she's grown.

"Yes," she nodded.

Mike sighed through his nose, looking forward again, ducking under a few branches. "I don't know. El—you—say that I haven't really changed much. But, then again, I'm not a kid in junior high anymore. I mean, would you say that you're different from a year ago?" he asked, looking back at her.

She didn't even hesitate, "I'm different now," she said, frowning slightly, "Hair."

Mike laughed in good nature, "Yes, you have hair, but have you changed in ways other than appearance."

"Ap-pear-ance?" she parroted.

"The way someone looks," Mike gestured to himself. "Like how I wear my 'old-man' sweaters," he mumbled that last part begrudgingly.

El hummed in understanding. "I've… changed. A lot. Hop helped," she nodded to herself.

"Then are you still 'El' if you've changed?" he asked, taking a large step over a branch and helping her over as well.

"I think so," she replied.

"Then that's my answer too," Mike smiled at her.

A loud curse and a sudden crunching of leaves was heard behind them. Both Mike and El turn their heads towards the commotion to find Dustin laying not-so-gracefully on the ground while Lucas howled with laughter.

"Twelve years and you're still as clumsy as a blind cow!" Lucas hiccuped out between gasps.

"I didn't see the root—it was covered by leaves!" Dustin growled back, standing up and brushing himself off.

Lucas fell into another fit of laughter, pointing at Dustin's head, "You've got something in your hair," he grinned.

"Aw, shit," Dustin huffed, pulling leaves out of his hair and glaring at Lucas, "And shut up, will you!?"

Mike stifled a laugh, yet somehow remained very stoic. "Dustin, the point is to remain unnoticed, not yell and attract the attention of everyone nearby," he said.

Dustin sighed, putting his hands up, "I know, I know. And I'm sorry, truly, I am. But please, Mike, believe me—this kid is worse than your nephew."

"What's wrong with my nephew?" Mike turned fully towards Dustin, giving him a look.

"N-nothing!" Dustin waved his hands, "But Mike, you gotta admit, Mike, that your nephew, Mike, is a bit—"

"Why are you saying my name so much?" Mike asked, growing more annoyed.

"Right, Mike. Sorry, Mike," Dustin shook his head, ignoring the look Mike tossed him. I just mean to say that he's a bit… much," Dustin shrugged.

"He's three, Dustin, three years old. How do you suppose a three-year-old is suppose to act? Like a well-mannered adult?" Mike asked, crossing his arms.

"Well that proves my point, mini Lucas is being a big Luc-ass and acting worse than a three-year-old," Dustin gestured to Lucas.

Mike groaned, "Oh, get a grip," he mumbled, turning back around. "We're falling behind. We should probably walk faster if we want to meet them at the right time."

"Wait, is that who that kid is? The one that's practically plastered all over your parents' house? Because that'd make way more sense." Lucas asked.

"Yeah, my mom's always been a bit obsessed with pictures," Mike sighed. The group fell into a comfortable silence as their feet crunched over the forest leaves, making their way to the meeting spot.

A few miles away, a much older "El" was having a conversation with a much older "Will" while a much older "Lucas" was walking silently beside a much younger "Mike." Confusing? I know.

"This is bringing up a lot of memories," Will said, looking at the ground.

"Bad ones, I'm assuming?" El guessed, looking at him with a tight look in her eyes. He nodded. "They've always haunted me, but they're not as… strong as they used to be. But now, with them—with us—it makes it all bubble up again," she admitted, smiling hesitantly. "I just hope this doesn't start anything again."

"It won't," Will assured her. "Besides, things are different now. It's not like we're kids anymore," Will nodded, as if he were trying to convince himself as well.

"Yeah," El answered softly.

Will smiled widely, deciding to change the subject, "So is it weird to see yourself that young? Or him that young?"

"Yeah," she said airily, releasing a breath she hadn't meant to hold. "But isn't it for all of us?" she pointed out.

Will shrugged, "I guess that's true," he shook his head, "There are so many things I'd love to say to my younger self but I know I can't. Or rather that I shouldn't," he said.

"'We've all gotta learn without being told sometimes,'" El recited in a terribly fake, low-sounding voice, causing Will to burst into laughter. It was something Hopper used to always tell her when she was younger.

"Nice Hopper impression," he said through his laughter.

Lucas laughed behind them as well, "It wasn't quite harsh enough, El, try again!" he said.

El waved him off, "That's all you're getting."

"I really think you should look into impersonations," Lucas continued, "You've got so much potential, in fact, I bet you'll be able to beat Mike's Yoda impression one day!" At this, they all burst into fits of laughter. All except little Mike, that is.

Ears red, arms crossed, he looked sourly at the ground. "It's not like I was trying for it to be a spot on impression," he mumbled.

El looked back at him with a soft smile, "Ignore us," she said, "I still fell for you, bad impressions and all," she said with mirth, a tone Mike was not used to hearing from her.

He just stared at her in awe, frozen. His jaw was loose, and his eyes were wide as his feet continued to crunch under the leaves, listening to them continue to talk and laugh with one another. It was completely strange to see her so normal. Not to say it was bad—it definitely wasn't bad, it was simply different. Dream-like. And it formed an uncomfortable feeling in his gut that consistently reminded him that he was very out of place.

Suddenly, Will was on his knees, clenching his head, breathing abnormally. El and Lucas both rushed up behind him, saying his name over and over.

"Will! Will, are you okay? Will, can you hear us?" they asked. He kept groaning and holding his head. Mike could see the sweat forming on his back through his shirt. His mouth was open in a silent scream.

"Is this the Mind Flayer?" Mike asked, approaching cautiously.

El just shook her head, "I really hope not. If so, it wouldn't be a good sign. And we're still half a mile away from the rest of the group."

"I thought the Mind Flayer was gone," Mike said, watching in quiet horror as Will's breathing became more labored. "Is he gonna be okay?" he asked.

El nodded, "He'll be fine. This just means the upside-down is… leaking, so to speak. This may be the reason you've all ended up here."

Lucas shook Will a few times, "Will? Come on, snap out of it, man!" he said.

El closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. "I'm going to help him," she said, placing her hand on Will's back. Lucas nodded, letting go of Will and stepping back next to Mike. Mike watched, scared quiet, as the older version of his best friend gripped the sides of his head in pain and fear.

"Is it always like this?" Mike asked hollowly, looking up at an older Lucas. "Does Will ever get… better?"

Lucas shrugged, "I think he hid a lot of it from us for a while, but he says he's getting better. I haven't seen a break like this in years," Lucas mused, then nodded at Mike reassuringly. "He does get better. Everyone does," he finished.

Suddenly Will took a deep breath, jolting upwards as El brought her hands up in an effort to calm him. "Whoa, careful," she said softly. It was a tone that brought Mike back to the first time he heard El spoke. Her voice was so quiet, then.

Will, realizing where he was, let his head fall into his head with a heavy sigh. "Dammit," he mumbled.

El smiled sympathetically, "It's not like it's your fault, Will." She said, helping Will stand.

"How'd you do that?" Mike asked, poking into the conversation.

"I contacted him through the void," El explained.

Mike seemed to become even more confused at this, "No radio? No white noise? No blindfold?"

El shrugged, a care-free gesture that Mike was unused to seeing on her. "It's easier with people I'm closer to—so long as I close my eyes." she answered.

Will frowned, "It's still here," he said, "I'm getting flashes of it," he said, his eyes focusing on something far away.

"Just say something if it turns into something worse than flashes," El said, leading the way again.

"Flashes? You mean his visions of the Upside-down?" Mike asked.

Will nodded, "Yeah."

"Something's really not right here," Lucas suddenly said, walking towards a tree.

"What is it?" Will followed.

Lucas reached towards a tree, scraping a rotten-looking goo off of the bark. "Shit," he mumbled.

Will's eyes widened, looking back towards El, "This is some leak, El."

"I'll signal Mike," she said.

I've gotta brainstorm (and I'm busy with school) so it may be a bit before the next chapter comes out. Sorry ya'll, but there WILL be an update.

Other than that, I hope you enjoyed, and let me know what you thought!

-LovelySheree