Gasoline

Man or Monster

Diana sped the Camaro down the back roads of Hawkins in an attempt to beat the police car back to the station.  When she got there she saw the two deputies walking Billy into the building.  She pulled her sheepskin jacket closed tight as the cold night air whipped at her dress. She could here the click clack of her short heels as she strode towards the Hawkins Police Department. It was a small building, dimly lit as most of the staff had gone home for the evening. 

Inside she stomped past Hopper who had held the doors open for her so she wouldn't get locked out. 

Lenny almost slammed Billy down into one of the chairs that sat across from Hoppers desk. Billy set his jaw and glared at the man. 

"Hey, Len. Good to see you too" Billy spat.

"Better watch yourself, Son. You have no idea how much trouble youre in" Leonard replied cooly. 

Diana tramped inside and sat down in the chair next to Billy and crossed her arms, glaring at Leonard. 

"Jim can we get her outta here please?" Leonard asked. 

Hopper put a large hand on Diana's shoulder "Diana, I need you to step outside for a second". 

Diana reeled "Are you serious? Hopper this is bullshit!" 

Hopper kept his face stoic as he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the hallway. 

He marched her down the hallway until they were out of earshot. 

"Diana stop it, for christ sakes. I need you to trust me, ok? Do you think you can manage to do that for two seconds?" He asked her, crossing his arms. 

She mirrored him. "Trust you? You just arrested my boyfriend. How are you going to get him out of this?" 

"I just need you to trust me" he put his large hands on her shoulders. 

She took a deep breath, calming slightly. "Alright. I trust you." 

He smiled down at her "Good. Now I need you to leave"

Just as quickly as she had calmed down she felt herself rile up. "I cant leave him!" Hopper practically had to carry her to the front door as she kicked and screamed the entire way. He gave her a gentle shove out the front door and threw her the keys to the Camaro.

"Diana, go home. You said you trust me, so prove it" Hopper held his arms wide open as if he was going to hug her, instead he closed the glass door in her face and locked it behind him. 

Diana stood at the glass and watched him retreat into the dimly lit hallway towards the office that held Billy. She let out a wail of frustration then retreated to the car. 

"Son, we have photographic evidence that show you loading and unloading both crates of stolen car parts as well as drugs at a Sullivan warehouse. It'll be easier if you just own up to it, we may be able to get you off with less time served" Leonard coaxed. 

Billy rolled his eyes "I dont know what youre talking about. I dont even know a guy named Sullivan. Sorry" he almost taunted. 

Leonard paced behind Hoppers desk. "Oh yeah? Well I have the photos right here!" He began to rifle through case notes and files. When it was clear he wasnt having much luck finding what he was looking for, Billy had to stifle a laugh. 

Hopper walked in and unlocked Billy's handcuffs. 

"Jim! Good, glad youre back. Listen, where did you put those photos I gave you from the warehouse?" Leonard asked. 

Hopper crossed his arms, looking confused. "What photos?" He asked. 

Leonard continued to rifle , launching papers all over the floor in a fit of annoyance. 

"The pictures! The pictures of Mr. Hargrove with the drugs and the stolen car" he explained. 

Billy looked up at Hopper, who remained like a statue. 

"What photos? There was never any photos, Leonard" Hopper said in a stoney voice. 

Leonard stopped dead in his tracks and looked up at Hopper slowly. 

"What the hell are you trying to pull here, Jim?" He asked angrily. 

Hopper got so he was hovering over the smaller man. "If theres no photos, then theres no case against Billy here. And I don't see any photos. So looks like we had better let this kid be getting home. After all, this is clearly just a misunderstanding". 

Billy raised his eyebrows at Hopper. He had done something to Leonard's pictures, Billy just wasn't sure what. 

"You cant do this, Hopper. I need those pictures for the case!" Leonard was frantic. 

"Dont you have copies?" Hopper asked. 

"God dammit, Hopper! You know I dont have any copies! Why are you doing this!?" 

Hopper uncrossed his arms and opened his office door. "Sorry, kid. Looks like we've made some kind of mistake. I can drive you home if you'd like" he told Billy, never breaking eye contact with Leonard. 

Billy didnt say a word, just got up and walked past Hopper slowly toward the front door. 

He could hear Leonard yelling in the office but never turned around, didnt stop until he got into the passenger seat of Hopper's police Blazer. 

The two didnt say anything until they got halfway down the road. 

"Why'd you do that?" Billy finally asked, not looking at Hopper. 

"Because I love my daughter, and for some strange reason she loves you. She deserves better than some white trash who served time in prison. She also deserves someone who will take care of her no matter what. So that being said, I know what you did in California and I know what you did here. If under any circumstances, you hurt my daughter in any way, I will make sure you go to jail for a very long time. Now she wont say for sure but I think I know that you gave her a pretty nasty black eye a month back. I also know that shes seen real monsters, we all have in some way or another. So you tell me..are you gonna be a man, or are you gonna be a monster?" Hopper pulled up in front of Billy's house and killed the engine, finally looking at him. 

Billy looked over at Hopper. "I'll be whatever I have to be" was all he said as he stepped out into the night, without so much as a simple thank you.