YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE
Johnny Cash

There wasn't a Manual about how motherhood worked. Nobody is actually prepared for it. For Melissa, Eleven came to her in a way she didn't expect. At the mere age of twenty three, Milly's life had altered and exceeded the expectations of the life she had. Sacrifices were made, and Changes to her daily routine. Her dreams fading in to a pedestal of past reminders to the future she wanted to create, and will never get.

She would choose re-living this moment, if she had the choice, watching as a disgruntled chief Hopper cut a Eggo waffle tower stack. Eleven's silent treatment was driving him mad.

" You're gonna obliterated those waffles, Jim."

Crumbs falling, from the plate, hopper huffed and his pouting reminded Milly of a kicked-puppy. He lost all concentration on the task at hand while following Milly using his eyes. She sat adjacent and put one leg to her chest. Resting her chin.

" El just needs time, Hop. She.. she needs to be reassured, about her role in this family. I think, I think you not showing on time made her feel like she was back in that place and expected it to be different. I know I was out, too. Which I take account as well for though."

Milly's words brought Jim out of his self-loathing. Instead he began to feel guilt. 'Where has the wisdom of a sudden come from? Jesus she is so Joyce from this angle. It's like looking in a two-way mirror and seeing the past.'

Hopper, pushing his torso slightly to the edge of the table, held Milly's hand.

" You' right. I'm sorry for.. for being strict 'bout all of well.. this. It's just.. I'm weary of that Jack-ass pop of yours, Brenner, suddenly second guessing if he wants to haul your ass back to his lab. Conduct those horrible tests on you. Like he did, El. That scares the shit out of me, my love."

He confesses his concerns to Milly, knowing of all people to understand it's her. Her thought's are paused, before an unanticipated arise of nauseous. Feeling it roll in waves over her, her immediate response is standing then to run to the restroom. Hopper, reeling his head back at her sudden action, frowned and Immediately had a suspicion there is something Off.

" Mills. Baby, you 'right? Do you need help?"

Vomiting and heaving came out of Melissa, emptying the contents inside of her stomach, flushing it. Hopper attempts to unlock the bathroom door.

" I.. don't need help, it's fine, Jim. Don't come in here. It's the flu. I'll be alright." Jim left it alone for the moment. He didn't believe Melissa, and her secretiveness. He respected her privacy to not interfere, knowing she would come out with the truth eventually.

" I must've had an expired.. sandwich from the restaurant across town manda, I and Kat went to." Milly flushes the toilet, watching the bile and mixture of vomit drain out of the bowl. " I feel fine, Hop. You don't need to worry. See."

Milly, trying her best to appear Fine, steps out of the bathroom unsuccessfully smiling and he cased her face; observantly looking over how it seems the skin under her eyes were hollowed. Like she wasn't getting enough sleep. El came out of her bedroom, her miniature structure in an oversized shirt belonging to Melissa she had found lying on the floor, rubbing her brown eyes. " Momma okay? Sick?" Asks eleven, face of worry. " El heard scary noises. And crying."

" Momma is fine, sweetie. I'm not feeling the best, but I will be fine. Go eat your waffles and I'll go run a bath for you, so you can be nicely cleaned up, for the day."

Melissa assures El, it seemingly didn't convince eleven. However she knew to trust her mother's word, nodding and going to eat her candy-sugar infused stack of Eggo waffles doused in maple syrup.

Milly put a hand absently on her lower stomach, a light gasp evading her lips, and did an instant sharp inhale feeling a flutter. Milly's eyes downturn to her abdomen. Jim had missed the action as he joined eleven at the table.

" You feeling up to eating and having all of... well, this Sugar. It's sure to get your blood levels higher than the Eiffel Tower, mills."

" Sure! I can't have myself missing out on these waffle stacks, you made, Jim. I hope there's maple syrup left over, you can't have waffles without it." Milly smiled while softly walking her way over to the mustard-coloured table set and Jim pulled her body down, situating Milly on his lap. He stabbed the fork in the whipped cream covered waffle feeding the piece to her.

Eleven, for a second, forgot how long it's been since she couldn't see Mike and watched Milly being fed by hopper. She could feel something coming for Melissa.

And it scared her beyond belief.

Knee bouncing up then down repeatedly, Milly eyes incessantly turned to the aging and older styled carpet of the doctor's clinic. A leaflet in her possession that read 'What to expect when you're expecting' in an out-dated text from the late fifties, the clinic hadn't updated, inhaling in and out of her nose.

" Melissa Byers." Nurse O'Neil called out, reading the form Milly filled out. Milly stood up and she began following in the direction of the office space she worked out of.

" Those blood work results you've requested are in. The good news should be said first, before I deliver the bad."

Nurse O'Neil, a plump older woman who rocked red curls and reading glasses, said. She read the blood test results with a widened smile. Melissa could feel her chest burn, at the anticipation, her nerves prominent as she was plucking away at the skin of her fingers.

" Congratulations, you are pregnant, Deary. You're Thirteen weeks along."

Time stood still for Melissa hearing those words, confirmation of her suspicions. There is a strong, forlornly, sadness that settled in her heart at the thought of what hopper would think. You are pregnancy.

How would she tell Jim? Would he accept this growing baby which continues to flourish in her body? What is the bad news? Milly protectively covers her child.

" You said there is bad news. Is there.. is there something wrong with my baby? With me?" Asks Melissa, there was no known medical or hereditary family illnesses. Expect for her own out-of-this-world powers. She watched as the older, more wiser, woman's eyes were reading the white sheet which had her blood test on. It took Nurse O'Neil a good extra minute before she spoke again. This time her tone is serious.

" When we were conducting, and testing, your sample one of my colleagues notice your blood count had an abnormality in it. It was like your cells were mutating, hardening, around the sac of the foetus." O'Neil explained— baffled. Milly became rigid, at the mention of her blood and how they saw it mutate before their eyes. She knew it would be a bad idea to have visited the clinic. She didn't know who she could trust. " I have never seen such things in my time here.."

" Thank you, miss O'Neil. I will take this off of your hands and will call in for a check up appointment." That is a lie and she knew it.

Melissa, heart beating fast taking the piece of paper out of her hand, rushes out with her eyes squeezed shut. This can't be happening. This is not a coincidence, No. No she had a dreadful, terrible, sinking feeling He had somehow been able to take control of her body. Endangering the life of her unborn child. In a sick sense of possessiveness Henry had came back and now wants to hurt her baby.

' Why can't you leave us alone? Henry. Please, leave us alone, please. Leave.. me .. alone. ' She feels herself slide down the wall of the alleyway she escaped to. Her eyes closing as to block out the sun glares.

" I'm going to be a Mommy. I'm going.. to be a mommy." She whispered, softly.

A pair of foot prints made her head snap up, at the sound, to see the familiar face of the one and only Steve Harrington. His awkward but shy grin acted as a harmless expression, which said he didn't want any trouble, and he didn't meet Melissa's eyes as he sat down beside her. There is a subtle, unsure, silence between him and Milly, one that had an undertone of a little unresolved tension. Things were still bitter, he had participated in writing derogatory phrases about herself with Carol and Tommy.

Steve had seen Melissa around town, guilt was piling up on his conscience which he wanted to make right— he just didn't know how to do it. He sighed. " That shit I did, last year, was real uncool I know. I... am sorry. I wish there was a better way I could say how much I am sorry. I.. never been an expert at saying this sorry crap. But I am, I'm real Sor.. are.. you crying?" Steve asked, feeling more guilt weighing heavy while Milly wiped her tears away instantly.

" I know. I have that effect on people, they don't call me Steve Making women cry Harrington for no reason."

" It's not.. you. Steve." Melissa said, her voice is thick with emotion, looking up at the cloudy skies. " I'm pregnant." Steve's eyes almost bug out of his head at the word 'pregnant'. He eyes the crumpled printed documentation, seeing a printed 'Positive' written in red. " And what is worrying me is the fact I'm not sure if her, or his, father will want... them." Steve gulped and immediately his mind went to chief hopper. In the time he had met chief hopper, he knew he's a strict man of old school principles. Surely he would be elated about becoming a dad? Yeah?

" I don't want to intrude on your personal life." Steve started, twiddling his thumbs. Nervously he looked at Melissa and Milly fainted a smile. " Chief .. hopper, he's a tough asshole. But he.. is different when he is around you. A lot less of an asshole, than he usually is. However that is when he is around you, Melissa. He would be Hawkins biggest idiot if he doesn't accept this baby." Steve chuckled to dial down the mood.

" You know, you're not so bad after all, Steve Harrington. Though you are still a little more or less irritating than before." Milly said, while pretending to knock him out dusting a fist over his face. " Your apology is pending acceptance. I don't hate you, but you are off my radar now for who I dislike in this town."

Steve would've felt offended if she wasn't correct. He could accept that. Getting up from the dirty alley way floor, Steve offered his hand to Melissa.

" Truce?"

He said, feeling a weight of guilt suddenly leaving after she stood up to shake his hand.

" I would offer to drive you back home, but that'd probably raise a couple of eyebrows around town. So I will just stick to saying this." Steve breathed in, kicking a rusty can of Coca Cola down the stretch of alley way.

" Don't listen to these people here in town. The only thing that gets them excited, is talking a lot of trash and being two faced morons. I was one of those idiots, I will admit, and that will never leave me until the day I stop breathing."

Melissa showed a genuine smile.

This new side of Steve Harrington, she had a feeling he didn't show to just anyone, surprised her. She patted his hand holding it in hers. They both could feel how much of an interesting, and rather unexpected, friendship form. Though still rather reluctant to admit, Milly had a feeling there are some things coming, which involved him being an important part of her story. If it be a good or bad thing she didn't know which.

" I will see you around, Harrington."

" You as well, Byers."

JASMINE SPEAKS;

Oh my gosh, I finally finish this chapter. I had initially started this one back in December, but lost inspiration half-way through and I didn't think I would get it again. Until it came to me again today of all days. And plus because of all the stranger things promotion I've seen, going around with season five coming this year and I am so excited for it. That motivated me!

What did you think of this chapter?

I thought I add in Steve and Melissa's little scene, as he'll be an unexpected friend of Milly and I cannot seem to properly hate him. What did you think of them and their talk?

And surprise! Milly is pregnant.

It has alway's been my plan, from the start. I know some of you dislike the pregnancy trope, and I totally respect your opinion.

All I ask is you don't leave any mean-spirited or nasty comments about this pregnancy as I planned this since the idea of making 'Out of time'. Please.

You can feel free to leave this book, if you are uncomfortable reading about Melissa being pregnant. I won't hold it against you. But I will block anyone that decides it's okay to be mean.

Thank you for those that support this story, I am so grateful for you guys.