Mockingbird -- Jim Hopper

20. CONFUSED

Hello, welcome back to the book that takes me FOREVER to update cause I get the worst writer's block in the world lol. Hate to see it (so naturally, I don't like this chapter at alllll)

ALSO yes we know Hop likes Allie, a lot, but with anxiety (that lovely thing :)) can make people second guess a lot and that's what poor Allie is doing. So don't be mad if you think I'm just throwing away all the fluff that led up to the kiss and jazz. Just trying to make this real, just as I do with all my fics. uwu

Anyway, enjoy!!

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Jim floored it all the way back to the station, occasionally glancing back at Allie who was fiddling with the jacket around her waist, but she seemed more relaxed since Joyce had let her borrow a pair of jeans before they went to Terry's.

Allie looked up at him and smiled softly, her cheeks turning pink and then looked out of the window. She, however, was feeling very nervous about this thing between her and Jim still. Again the fact that they literally had just started this relationship (was it even a relationship? She had no idea) worried her. She had a feeling that he was just acting this way because of the shared trauma they had. She was no idiot, Jim Hopper was charming as hell and she was sure that he could easily get anyone woman in the town to fall at his feet with a few compliments, much like the librarian, Marissa.

Joyce glanced between the two and huffed, "eyes on the road Hop," she reminded him. She was extremely worried about Johnathan. What did he do to get him arrested?

When they reached the station Allie got out of the backseat and followed Joyce and Jim into the clinic, she locked eyes with Nancy and tilted her head. She rushed past an extremely angry Joyce who was shouting Callahan and Powell.

"Nancy," Allie said and hugged her tightly, "what happened?"

Nancy looked very shocked to see Allie with Joyce and Hopper, her eyes instantly snapped to the oversized flannel she was wearing, "Whose is that?"

"Um," Allie gulped and she looked at Jim who was telling Callahan to take of Johnathan's handcuffs.

"Oh my gosh, the police Chief?! Allie! Are you two dating?" She hissed quietly a shocked smile on her face.

"Nancy!" Allie hushed her and grabbed her shoulders, "it's not like that. Plus, he's apparently got a reputation of not sticking around after-"

"You guys did it?" Nancy asked, her eyebrows shooting up.

Allie shook her head, her face bright red, "no! It's just shared trauma or something, let's just change the subject okay?"

Nancy nodded and pulled Allie aside when she saw Hopper, Johnathan, and Joyce all head into the office. Hopper looked at them and nodded, signaling to them that they should come into his office.

Nancy gave Allie a sad smile and patted her shoulder before walking in, Allie following behind. Allie leaned against the wall and felt Jim's gaze sear into her, but she kept her eyes focused on Nancy.

Finally, Jim spoke after he sighed, "okay, what the hell is going on here?"

Johnathan and Nancy shared a look before Nancy spoke up, "we ran into this 'thing' in the woods the other night. I think it took barb and it almost got me."

"What did it look like?" Allie asked, the vivid image of the thing trying to push through her classroom wall fresh in her mind.

"It was like a man, but it had a weird shaped head. It was extremely tall, and it's scream," Nancy shivered, "it was unworldly."