A life less ordinary ||~~Elax/Elmax~~||

The dream

"Why aren't you in the kitchen?"

"Honestly, they're just going around in circles, until something else happens we can't form a plan, so I can't see the point" she stated plainly. Max just stared at her, "what?" she asked.

"You really are pretty kick-ass aren't you?" said Max with a smile. Seeing Nancy's confused look she elaborated, "Mike told me how you took charge last time, made a trap for the Demogorgon, broke down doors, crack shot with a pistol, generally bad-ass stuff."

Nancy blushed slightly, "well, yeah, someone needed to do it. Anyway, I've heard you're pretty 'kick-ass' yourself...El told me what you did to Brenner" Nancy said smiling.

"Yeah, I just wish I kneed him in the balls too...and beaten the crap out of him with his stick" Max said, starting to feel angry.

"Well..." Nancy was interrupted by the ground starting to shake, "shit...it's been over a week..." They sat for a few seconds, watching things around the room shake, but soon realized that instead of dissipating as usual the tremors were only getting stronger, then Hopper burst out of the kitchen and shouted for everyone to get under cover. Max and Nancy stood under the door frame to the lounge, clinging onto the sides and looking at each other in panic. After a few minutes it died down and eventually stopped, Max and Nancy stood up straight and watched as the adults emerged from the kitchen and the guys made their way up from the basement, all looking pale and shocked.

"Is everyone ok?" asked Hopper, regaining his composure quickly. They all looked at each other and nodded.

They heard a creak on the stairs and, as one, they looked up to see El shakily make her way down. "El?" Max said quietly as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She gasped as El looked up at them, her nose was bleeding profusely, as were her ears, "oh my god" she couldn't help but say.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

El sat on the kitchen counter while Max wiped the blood from her face. Everyone else had gathered around the big dining table, "according to Jennifer at the USGS this was a 6.7, a big one, the biggest yet" stated Hopper, "I don't think it's a coincidence to see El like that, the blood..." he trailed off.

A silence fell around the room, they were all looking at El who was clearly trying to avoid looking back. Max leaned over and whispered in her ear "did you have a nightmare?" El nodded slightly. "It was bad?" Another nod. Max closed her eyes, "do you remember it?" she pulled back to look into El's eyes and saw as they teared up and she nodded. "What do you remember?"

"Darkness...a red sky...a voice, calling to me...to help it through..." she said with a trembling voice.

"Help what through? What is it?" Max asked, her hands on El's shoulders, supporting her.

"I don't know" she replied, starting to sob into Max's shoulder, "but..." she trailed off.

"But what?" asked max, scared of the answer.

"...but it wants to hurt people..."

"What people?" asked Hopper, approaching the pair.

"Everyone" El said, raising her head and looking at them all, "it wants to hurt everyone." She buried her head back in Max's shoulder, clinging to her as if her life depended on it.

After a few minutes of silence, Hopper addressed the room "I have to go, check out the damage. Keep an eye on her" he ordered pointing at El, who just held Max tighter still.

Joyce stood up, "Will, Lucas, Dustin, come on, I'll drop you home." They nodded and walked silently to the door, each glancing back at El but unsure of what to say.

"Wait Joyce, can you take Max too?" asked Karen. Max opened her mouth to protest as El released her sadly. "I'm sorry Max, you know your mom wants you home this evening."

She turned to El and cupped her face, "El, you'll be fine I promise, and I'll come first thing tomorrow, ok? Remember we're all going to the festival together?" El nodded, trying to hold her gaze.

As everyone left, Nancy took El's hand, "come on Ellie, sleep in my room tonight, ok?" She nodded and followed her upstairs, her head still throbbing from before.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Max stirred, feeling a presence in the room she opened her eyes "fuck El, you scared the crap out of me...what are you doing here? It's like, what..." she said groggily, searching for her clock, "one a.m.!?" she exclaimed.

El looked uneasy, "sorry Max...I...I had to see you, I needed to see you."

"We're meeting up later, couldn't it wait?"

El shook her head no.

"El...you walked for two miles, through scary woods, in the middle of the night just to see me?"

"No, not just to see you" she said, clearly wanting to say more but seemingly unable.

"What is it? Talk to me" Max begged.

"Max, I wanted...I needed to tell you how much I love you, and if...if anything ever happened, know that I will love you for the rest of my life."

The look on El's face, coupled with her words, scared Max more than anything ever had before in her life. Scrambling out from the covers on her bed, she faced her, "w...why are you telling me this? Are you going somewhere? Are you...are you leaving me?" she asked, thinking the unthinkable.

"No" she replied unconvincingly. Seeing the disbelief on Max's face, she said "I'm scared of what's going to happen...Papa..." she closed her eyes tight at saying the word, "...Brenner...is evil, I can't let him near you again, I couldn't live with myself if anything happened. I love you...I love you so, so much it hurts sometimes...I'd die for you Max" she said, pouring her heart out.

Max couldn't speak, she was overwhelmed by what El had said, knowing that she meant every word, knowing that El really would die for her, to keep her safe. "Whatever you do" Max said through her tears, "promise you won't leave me...please"

El wiped her own tears away and pulled Max into a hug, "I said I'd never lie to you...I...I can't promise you that" she stuttered, causing Max to sob into her shoulder, "but I can promise you that I will fight with everything I have to stay" she said, pushing Max away and staring intently into her eyes, willing Max to believe her.

Max could do nothing but nod, knowing El wouldn't break a promise. Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, she said "stay with me tonight?"

El looked down, "I should get back, I don't want to get into trouble." Looking back up at Max she saw the disappointment in her eyes and smiled, "for you, anything...I'll stay till sunrise." Max smiled back at her, "you're so beautiful, the best thing that ever happened to me" El told her, catching her by surprise and causing her to blush.

They lay down together, El on Max's shoulder as always, "you always make me feel so peaceful" said El thoughtfully, "like my mind is quiet and I can think clearly."

"What do you think about?"

"Eggos." Max poked her sides in mock annoyance, "sorry, I couldn't resist" El said, giggling. Hearing Max sighing, she stopped and said "you, I think about you...always." Knowing the look that would be on Max's face, she added "now wipe that smug look off your face and go to sleep." Max laughed, hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

"Max..." El said quietly. Max grumbled and opened her eyes slightly, squinting at the light starting to come through the curtains, "Max, I have to go home, I'll see you in a few hours" El said, kissing her forehead and making her way to the window to sneak out. Max just nodded and waved her arm vaguely causing El to smile sadly as she took one last look at Max sleeping before leaving.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~*