Jim Hopper and Eleven

He felt bad for not giving her that one thing but he didn't want to go through the consequences, he wanted to keep her safe. Now he somehow can't be angry with her anymore.

He gulps down his beer while watching her breathing, rise and fall in the moonlight. He didn't see the point of closing the curtains, now that everyone knows she's back. Hopper feels like he is losing track of time thinking about El. He wades through another beer and then another. Sleep begins to take over, his muscles have relaxed and the fear and anxiety in his chest has gone.

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Hopper takes a deep breath, when he tries to wake up from his unconscious slumber. He wonders how long he has been asleep for but there was no sunlight coming through the windows and outside still looked to be twilight.

Slowly, he sits up on his chair and stretches his back to break the aches and pains. He was slouched on the kitchen table asleep which was clearly not comfortable, but he had no energy to go back to his own bed.

Hopper quietly gets up from his seat and walks over to El. When he got to her, he notices that her forehead was dripping with seat and her body seemed to be frantically shaking. The anxiety started to erupt again and his heart was beating nineteen to the dozen.

"Shit."

Hopper kneels down in front of her and reaches out to squeeze her arm.

"No." She cried. "Mama."

He runs a hand through her hair not caring how messy it was. He continuously uses the same motion and parts her fringe to the side, so he could see her better.

"No, stop." She screams.

Hopper reached out to El and held her head in his hands, wiping the tears off her face.

"It's me, sweetie, it's me. You're safe now, okay. You're safe."

El's eyes began to open. She begins to study him for a moment and she realised it was all a dream. None of it was real. Her breathing started going back to its normal pace and she felt so relieved to see Hopper again, to feel at home again.

And yet, Eleven reached out to him even though she is not used to hugs, but she really needed one from him right now. She grabbed his shoulders and leaped into his arms like she was jumping over a cliff. She started to shake violently and began to sob in his chest.

"I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I'm so, sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault, sweetie. It's not your fault."

Hopper pressed his lips to her forehead that seemed to feel soft and smell like roses.

"It's okay, now. I've got you." He whispered with raw emotion. "You're safe."

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El is curled up next to him, as Hopper has his arm round her shoulders. She starts to move close, as her cheek is pressed against his chest. Hopper looks down at her and feels that familiar warm feeling in his chest again.

"You okay, kid?" He whispers, while he stokes his hand up and down her arm.

"Tired."

"I know." He sighs. "You've had a tough night."

Her eyes start to blink slowly and he kisses her forehead again with content.

"You need to sleep okay? Do you want anything? Some hot coca? Eggo's?" The girl's eyes beamed at him with excitement at the mention of both.