Always By Your Side *Mileven* // SEQUEL

Time After Time (Finale)

Mike's POV:
The portal was proliferating with every passing second. Why on earth did Brenner think that it was a good idea to reopen the gateway to the Upside Down? Yes, it would eliminate his dead weight, but if the portal grew out of control like before, no one would be able to shut it down. Who knew what else lurked in the darkness, ready to devour them?
"We have to shut this down immediately!" I hollered through the noise. The room was shaking, and the walls were crumbling, making way for the tear in the fabric of reality.
"He may have locked us in here, but all we have to do to prevent the portal from reopening is just switching the lever back up. It'll be easy," Eight said. She walked over to where the lever was, but she didn't do anything. She just stood there, her face washed over with disappointment and despair.
"What is it?" I asked, trying to yell over the noise.
"He broke the lever," She stuttered, showing me the broken switch in her hand. Now we had no way of closing the portal, manually at least.
"Wait, Eight, you have powers, right? Maybe you could use them to close the portal. El was able to," I suggested.
"My sister and I have different powers. My powers of fabrication are not capable of closing a gateway to another dimension!"
I took a deep breath and shook myself. No. We could not give up now. We were so close to freedom. We can't lose hope.
"There has to be something we can do!" I shouted.
"It's hopeless! We're locked in here, and Brenner has Eleven. He left us here to die. We'll be dead in minutes. It's only a matter of time. This is really the end of the line," She despaired, slowly sliding down to the floor, her back against the wall. She was still bleeding profusely, and she winced in pain, clutching her side.
The portal began to grow inside the wall, spreading its veins across the stone flank of the old abandoned laboratory.
I stood back, taking it all in. I could hardly understand what was happening. I scanned the room with my eyes. There had to be some fail-safe somewhere, right? Brenner wouldn't have re-created the portal and opened it without a fail-safe. He wouldn't have put his own safety at risk. Brenner must have figured out a way to control the entrance. He was cunning and clever. He always thought things through thoroughly.
I saw it. Above the top of the portal was a switch on the wall. It looked pretty heavy duty. How on earth was I supposed to reach it?
I examined the premise once more. On the far right of the room was an elevator-like contraption. It looked like the one El had stood on when she closed the portal and stopped the demodogs. If I got in that, I would be just about close enough to pull the lever. It was my best shot.
I rushed over to the lift and climbed in, reeling myself up to the lever's height. There I stood, suspended at around 70 feet in the air. I was so close, but not close enough. I had to hurry up and figure this out because I was running out of time.
I tried to reach with my hand, but I was still too far. I inched my way closer, being as careful as possible. I discreetly leaned out little, reaching as I could, but I was still barely short of pulling the lever.
I knew that if I climbed on the outside of the elevator, I would be able to reach the lever and end this once and for all. I just had to be careful.
I swung my leg over the bar, and then the other. I cautiously, inch by inch, made my way closer to the lever. I could reach it! I sighed with relief as I went to pull the switch.
As I reached for the lever, the room shook once more, and the wall split open even more. The portal was opening. The conveyor swung, and I lost my footing.
I was falling; everything was in slow motion. I watched as my life flashed before my eyes. Was this the end? I knew that a fall from 50 feet was fatal, and I was 70 feet in the air. Finally, my hope was replaced with fear as I fell to my doom. My heart skipped a beat as I closed my eyes, expecting to hit the floor.
But I never did.
I opened my eyes, confusion, and adrenaline rushing through my body. I opened my eyes and realized I was floating about 3 feet from the ground. I was carefully placed on the ground. I stood up and turned around. El stood at the entrance of the room. The bolted door had been smashed down with her telekinesis. She had saved me.
"Mike!" She cried, running toward me.
The portal began closing. Eleven must have flipped the switch with her powers.
"Eleven!" I shouted, meeting her halfway.
She ran into my open arms, and I embraced her. She buried her head in my chest, and I held her tight.
She turned her head to face mine.
"Brenner and Two captured me and put a metal bracelet on me to dampen my powers. They were dragging me down the hall when suddenly, they were both brain dead! I went looking for you, and I found the room that you and Eight were in, but the door was bolted! I was scared, Mike. I was powerless, and I saw you on that lift. I thought you were going to die. I was terrified. I watched you hop over the bar, and I- Mike, I thought I was going to lose y-you! I concentrated so hard when I saw you lose your footing. The bracelet shattered, and I knocked down the door, a-and I saved you! I almost didn't, though!" El cried. She was trembling in my arms. I reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek.
"El, you did, though. You saved me. You always save me time after time. I am so thankful for you, Eleven," I smiled.
She gave me a teary smile in return.
"I know. I'm thankful you're okay too. I-I just can't help but think, though. What if my powers hadn't kicked in in time and what if-"
I cut her off, placing a kiss on her lips, just like the one at the Snowball in 1984. I pulled back, and she looked up at me, smiling. She placed her head on my chest, and we just stood there in an embrace, at peace.