Can't Get Use to Losing You- Max Mayfield

The Bathtub

TJ, Karen and Holly make their way inside to find Dustin frantically talking on his walkie. He then bolts down the basement stairs, TJ sets Holly down and follows after him.
Mike and El are sat with their faces inches apart, TJ smirks while Dustin happily ruins the moment "CODE RED! WE HAVE A CODE RED MIKE!"
"Slow down Dustin now say it in a language we can all understand." TJ rolls his eyes at the boys antics until he catches what he says.
"Lucas he said bad men they're coming, they're coming after El!" Dustin spits out.
TJ sits and thinks about the repair van that's  been outside their house all day while Mike also seems to have the same idea.
They run upstairs, "Mum have you hired a repairman?" Mike asks.
"No sweetie." Karen looks at her sons confusedly as they frantically grab Dustin and El and head for their bikes.
"Shit, shit, shit we're screwed!" Is all you can hear from Dustin.
Multiple cars pull up with men and women in suits knocking on the Wheelers door to a non the wiser Ted Wheeler answering it.
Lucas joins the gang as they are being followed by a van, they come to a halt as one blocks the path in front of them. Before any of them can speak El has used her powers to flip the van over them, as they all stare in astonishment at the truck passing over their heads.
"Oh"
"My"
"Fucking"
"God"
Is heard from the four boys.
"We've gotta go! Let's go!" Mike screams with El on the back of his bike.

The group sigh knowing they're a bit safer then they were 10 minutes ago.
TJ watched the group fondly as Lucas and El and then Lucas and Mike all make amends with each other.
TJ finally inputs "I hate to break up this darling little meeting but we are hypothetically fugitives right now... with very bad men after us who have guns" TJ stops for a second when he hears a sound above him "and now a helicopter... absolutely brilliant!"
The gang starts peddling as quick as they can to the old junk yard, and get into an old school bus, TJ throws their bikes underneath the bus and hops on looking at the fear stricken faces of his friends.

After what seems like forever Mikes super com crackles the voice of their older sister transmitting through "Mike, Mike it's Nancy can you hear me?"
The kids look at each other before Mike says "It's a trick I'm not answering it, it might be the bad guys trying to find us."
TJ looks conflicted knowing his sister wouldn't do anything the bad guys told her to do, he is quickly brought out of his thoughts when the walkie goes off again.
"Kids this is chief Hopper, we know. We know about the girl, we want her safe just as much as you do. I'm with Joyce Wills mum we promise we're not the bad guys here."
TJ looks at Mike who nods his head in approval
"Chief Hopper we're at the old junk yard... we're trapped!"

All 5 kids are sat trying to hold their breath as they can hear the crunching of leaves outside, TJ sneaks a peak and sees several armed men. He looks at everyone and holds a single finger to his lip, the bus creaks as someone is about to open the door. They hear the sound of grunts and a lot of commotion happening outside the bus. Panic is all TJ feels when the door flies opens, TJ closes his eyes waiting in anticipation for the gun shot only to be met by the voice of Chief Hopper "Hurry up! come on we haven't got all day!"

They meet back at the Byers house where Nancy engulfs TJ and Mike into a bear hug
" I was so worried about you both," she double takes at Eleven and points "Is that... is that my dress?" Mike looks sheepishly at his sister who rolls her eyes.
Between Mike, Dustin and Lucas they explain the events of what has been happening and that El says they need to close the gate.
"I've seen this gate. It's at Hawkins lab." Hopper says.
Joyce then speaks up "Is that, is that where my boy is? Is that where Will is in that place?" El nods her head.
Joyce continues "Can you, can you find him?"
"And Barb?" Nancy adds, TJ puts a reassuring hand on his sisters shoulder, hoping that El can for his sister and his best friends sake.
"At the lab we had this tank, where I could see things."
El looks between Nancy and Joyce.
Dustin shoots up and starts punching numbers into the Byers phone, while everyone looks at the boy in disbelief,
"Hi Mr Clarke, yes, yes I know, I know no ringing you on weekend but I need your help right now. I really need to know how to make a sensory deprivation tank?"
"Okay we need..." Dustin hangs up and begins to list off items they need.
TJ turns to his sister and Joyce asking in a genuine manner"Is no one else concerned at the no ringing you on the weekends?" They all disperse  ignoring TJ's comments "Nope only me then cool, cool, cool, cool."

After a car ride to Hawkins middle school the three Wheeler siblings are searching for a hose to use for the Byers kiddie pool.
"Mike, TJ I know we're not as close as what we use to be but I want you both to know that you can be honest with me... no more secrets okay?" Both boys reply with "okay".
Mike being as observant as ever speaks up
"So you with Johnathan now?" TJ lets out a laugh and then looks around awkwardly as his sister stares daggers at him.
"What? No. It's... it's not. It's not like that." Nancy stammers out.
"What about you Mike? Do you like Eleven?" Nancy decides to change the subject.
Mike is quick to respond in a defensive manner while TJ sits there giggling "What? No. Ew. Gross."
TJ looks at both his siblings incredulously before pointing at Nancy "You dear older sister... no one is blind to the sparks between you and Johnny boy."
And you pointing at Mike who is laughing at the look on his sister face "I walked in on a near kiss between you and El... so don't you dare give it the ew gross!"
TJ feeling very smug within himself leaves his two siblings with their mouths wide open.

The makeshift sensory deprivation pool is now ready and the group help El get into it.
The group wait patiently while El enters the void, TJ can feel his leg bouncing but can't seem to make it stop.
"I see. I see Barb, she's, she's..." El softly calls out.
"Is she okay? Is she alive?" Nancy cries out.
"Gone!" Is the words that leave Els mouth, Nancy lets out  a whimper and curls into Johnathan side.
TJ's thoughts are taken to Riley and how he's going to tell him any of this, how can he tell him?
"Will he's in Castle Byers... hurry he needs you to hurry!"
Joyce lets out a cry of relief.

"So me and Hopper will head to the gate and you guys, you stay here!" Joyce sternly tells them. Her voice changes into a soft one as she looks at the group "You've all done wonderfully. But let us take it from here...okay!"
TJ already sees the look between Nancy and Johnathan and knows that they're not staying here, however TJ needs to make a choice stay with his brother or go with his sister and fight.