I slowly open my eyes. It hurts to let them open, but I try to look around and figure out where I am. A wave of head ache attacks my skull. Ouf.

My eyes wander around the pure, boring white walls.

But suddenly there's a quiet snoring in the corner to my left. It sounds very familiar. I try my best to turn my head around.

It's Eleven.

Her small little being is placed in a very uncomfortable looking position on a chair.

My mouth automatically forms a smile, but it causes pain.

Fuck it, I want to smile. (So I do.)

I figured out, that I'm at the hospital. But what happened? How long have I passed out? I can't remember.

What time is it? I look around for any clocks. There's one hanging on the wall. It's 11:09 pm. I don't want to sleep again, so I look around the room. I want to look at El, but on the way of looking to her I notice, that there is a flower bouquet on the night table.

No way...

(Anyway back to staring at Eleven)

I watch her for a while. It's very peaceful and it let's me forget my head ache for second.

Suddenly she moves and opens her eyes. She looks very confused and she looks around, to probably check where she is. A millisecond later her eyes wander to me and directly light up.

"MAXIE", she yells, storms up to me and hugs me in a strange way, but I enjoy it a lot.

"Hey", I bring out, very husky. Eleven smiles very widely.

"I was so worried about you, Max. You were asleep for almost 3 days now", she says, in a more serious way.

"Well... I'm okay, except everything hurts", I mean. El doesn't say anything, just looks a bit concerned.

"Wanna tell me what happened?", I ask.

"Okay yeah...", she answers, but nothing follows.

"Sooooo?", I say.

"Uh.. yeah. Well. The whole town knows, that we're uh... that we have... a thing. So Billy picked you up from our house."

"Oh. ...kay. But that's not it, right? Tell me more Eleven ... please"

"Well okay. So uh you went-"

Suddenly I remember. Eleven stopped her sentence, because I make a face.

"You.. remember?", she asks.

"Yes."

She doesn't say anything.

"Can you tell me your side of the story?", I ask.

El slowly nods. "Okay."

"Well after you left I uh..."

"Don't let the details out"

"Okay."

3 days before

(Eleven's POV)

The door shuts behind Max and Billy. Anger is swelling in me. I can't let Billy beat her up, she did nothing wrong...

With a chill hand move the front door opens again. I want to walk out, but suddenly someone takes my hands back and holds them tightly. I look confused up and see Joyce closing the door and the one holding me is Dad. This makes me even more angry.

"What the fuck?!", I yell. Joyce and Will look flabbergasted at me. "Come on kid. Pull yourself together", I hear Dad's voice from behind.

"BILLY WILL HURT HER", I scream now, because I hear the car driving away from us.

"What?!", everyone says, but Dad still doesn't let go. That's it.

"LET ME GOOOOOO", I scream, tears flowing out of my eyes. He still doesn't let go, so I use my power, even though he forbid me to use it for something "unnecessary".

I free myself and open the door with my power. I'm fuming, so I have so much energy, that I sprint in the direction of Max's house.

When I get there, I try to catch my breath. I'm still crying.

Where is Max?! The car is there... I look through the windows; nothing. Suddenly there's a crack behind me. I turn around quickly. It's Joyce, also crying, completely out of breath. We look a while at eachother, but then I hear Max's voice, yelling.

It came from behind the house. I sprint there, Joyce behind me.

"...HAPPY AND HONESTLY I LOVE HER"

Max is yelling at Billy. About me.

I freeze. Everything gets slow motion, I forget my problems for a second.

Max ... loves me?

I get myself again, but a second later a wave of panic gets me.

Billy hit Max. In the face.

She stumbles and passes out on the floor.

"MAX!", I yell, push Billy with my powers to the wall and storm to Max. She's bleeding all over her face.

"CALL AN AMBULANCE", I command.

I feel my eyes getting wet again.

"Max..", I try, "don't do this.. please... c-can you hear m-me?", I stutter.

Nothing in response. I lay my head on her chest, to check if her pulse is okay.

It is. Thank God.

"Max.. come on..", I try to wipe the blood away from her face. Without success; the blood just spills out of her.

My panic just swells and swells.

About 6 minutes later the ambulance arrives.

[Reality]

"... so yeah. Then you got delivered to the hospital, you had a light brain injury and a broken nose. So in the past three days I practicly lived here without sleeping, waiting for you to wake up.", I end the story and look at Max.

She's actually crying.

"Oh Max. No need to cry-....", I say. I'm a bit overwhelmed, it makes me want to cry too.

"Sorry", she mumbles and wipes her tears way. I laugh and bend down to hug her.

"Gosh you must be tired", Max worries.

"Yes. But shush about that. I'm glad you're awake again.", I answer.

Max smiles. She taps her hand on her chest, to signal me I can cuddle her.

"You're very sure?", I ask.

"I'm very very very sure", she nods.

She opens her hospital-blanket and I lay down on her. She starts to stroke my head and play with my hair.

(Next morning)

"Hello, I'm here for Maxine Mayfield. I'm her mother.", I say to a lady behind a desk. I'm at the hospital to visit Maxine, because she woke up.

Billy and Neil are at the police station.

"Second floor, room 006", the lady says.

"Okay, thanks."

So I go upstairs, to the second floor. Fourth room.. fifth room... here we go.

It's 8 in the morning. I open the door quietly and first take a look inside, then go inside.

There's Max, sharing her hospital-bed with Jane. They lay cuddled up together, sleeping.

I'm not going to lie, it looks adorable.

I refresh the flowers at her little table, without making much noise and they don't wake up.

I give them one last look, before I close the door quietly.