Notes ~ Post s3, Hopper is never taken, Hopper and El are living with the Byers, Jopper got the Enzo's date, El has her powers.
Friday July 12th 1985:
Hawkins, Indiana. A pretty normal town, well to those who didn't know the secrets Hawkins held. The warm July sun shone through the huge glass window of Melvald's general store The July heat warmed the store and practically boiled the one small woman inside. Her wavy brown hair swept up into a low ponytail, sweat beads dangling off her bangs and dripping onto her forehead.
This woman however didn't live a normal life like most in Hawkins, in fact her life was opposite from normal. She had faced a parallel universe, government conspiracies, Russian invasions, interdimensional creatures, giving her son an exorcism from a monster and now she was helping her soulmate, the love of her life raise a girl with telekinetic powers.
Speaking of her soulmate, he just walked into the store. The sound of his work boots stomping off the floor left an echo throughout the store as he walked closer to Joyce Byers. Joy filled her numb eyes as he came into her vision and she read the small name tag on his police uniform 'Hopper.' His eyes scanned around the store, making sure they were alone before walking over to her.
He sat on the counter next to her, placing the brown paper bag in the gap between them. She looked up at the much taller man and smiled, her cheeks going a light pink colour. 'God why am I blushing' she asked herself silently. She didn't know why she was blushing, 'you're a forty three year old woman Joyce pull yourself together' is what she usually told herself in these situations but it rarely worked.
When she was with Hopper she felt like a teenager walking past her boyfriend in school, crazy in love with everything he did and every move he made. She was extremely in love with him but her insecurities always took over her and she ended up thinking of crazy scenarios of him leaving her because he didn't want to date 'crazy Joyce Byers' or there was someone prettier.
Hopper never knew any of this, and she probably wouldn't tell him she'd just bottle it up like most things. She picked up the brown bag that sat between them, opened it and smiled. He bought lunch with him, knowing she would have forgotten like most days. She always insisted it was fine and she didn't need lunch but Hopper lived in the house, he knew most days she rushed to work without breakfast either.
She handed him the bag with his half of the lunch left, "thanks Hop" she said a wider fake smile spreading across her face trying to cover her insecurities. They chatted and laughed while eating their lunch, Joyce attempting to forget everything going on inside her head, which was nearly impossible.
The sound of the bell alarmed the two who had just finished their lunch, it was a customer. Hopper moved around the store, pretending he was looking for something for Flo or the office. The customer was no other than Chrissy Carpenter, the girl who tried to ruin Joyce and Hopper's high school relationship.
Joyce felt anger bubble up inside of her and course through her veins when Chrissy walked down the same isle Jim was in. Joyce watched until the skinny, tall, blonde was out of her sight, Joyce sighed, this wasn't jealously it was insecurities. She listened carefully, not being able to hear the full conversation, just them both laughing.
Hopper left the store first, deciding not to buy anything, Chrissy left five minutes after he did, her buying just some top up groceries Joyce assumed. Her shift dragged from then, she wasn't concentrated at all, her thoughts mainly negative. She was grateful Hopper was working a late shift tonight, she wouldn't see him until around 9pm, that gave her around 4 hours to get it together.
When she arrived home at five, Will and El were on the couch watching ET, again and Jonathan was in the kitchen, cooking dinner for the four and leaving leftovers for Hopper in the microwave. Jonathan called Will and El from the living room and they came running in, clearly hungry from a day at the arcade or wherever they had been, Joyce wasn't really paying attention to the conversation.
She sat half listening to their conversations and half letting her thoughts wonder, before she knew it she was completely zoned, thinking of all the scenarios in which Hopper would leave her. She was only pulled out of her thoughts when she felt El's hand on her shoulder, Joyce looked up to see the boys had vacated the table and it was just her and El.
"are you okay?" El asked hesitantly, looking worried for Joyce. Joyce looked up at the teenager stood beside her and nodded, "I'm okay sweetie, just tired, long day at work" she lied hoping El would fall for it. "dinner?" El asked pointing to Joyce's full plate. Joyce sighed, "not that hungry your dad bought me lunch at work. How about you and the boys have some popcorn and watch another movie?" Joyce suggested trying to get El off her back for a while.
El nodded and took a bag of popcorn from the kitchen counter, walking into the living room and sitting in between Will and Jonathan who had just started a new movie. El didn't mention anything to Will or Jonathan about Joyce, she didn't want them to worry about their mother anymore than they already did. Joyce left her plate on the table and walked down the hall to her bedroom.
Joyce decided to lie in bed, keeping her lie of 'I'm just tired' as an excuse. She quickly got changed and climbed under the covers of her bed, she glanced at the alarm clock placed on her bedside table, it was already 8pm. She only had an hour until Hopper got home and would probably press her with questions she just didn't have the energy to answer. She didn't want to push him away but she wouldn't stress him with her thoughts.
She turned to face the wall and attempted to get in an hours sleep but all she could do is cry. She didn't even know why she was crying, maybe it was the fear Hopper would leave her or didn't love her, maybe it was the fear something bad would happen again or maybe she was just letting out what she'd kept bottled up for so long.
Will and Jonathan both left the living room for their bedrooms at around 8:50pm leaving El alone watching soap operas. Just as the credits of her episode ended, the front door swung open, a surprisingly happy Hopper walked through the door. "hey kid" he said walking over to her and ruffling her hair. "hi dad" she replied changing the TV channel with her mind.
Hopper scanned the living room and kitchen quickly not spotting Joyce, who would have usually stayed with El until he got home. "where's Joyce?" Hopper asked El who was engrossed in a soap but she quickly looked up. "in bed I think, said she was tired after dinner" El replied confused by her fathers concerned look.
He walked into the kitchen to grab the ash tray off the table when he realised a full plate of food left on the table in Joyce's place. "El come here a minute" Hopper called from the kitchen. El let out a frustrated sigh walked into the kitchen, "this Joyce's?" he asked his hand pointing to the full plate. El nodded in response, "said you bought her lunch to work and she wasn't hungry, I was worried about her but I didn't wanna push it."
Hopper sighed, "thanks kid, you go watch your show okay" and with that she was settled back in front of the TV, cuddled in a blanket. Hopper walked into Joyce's- their room, that's what it had been called for the past week, and saw her small body curled up into a ball, her facing the wall the opposite side of the room.
He leant over the bed to give her a kiss on the cheek before he changed into his flannel pyjamas but she didn't talk or respond at all. He knew she wasn't asleep, she was fidgeting too much to be asleep, she slept in the same position all night. 'have I done something wrong?' he asked himself before climbing under the duvets next to her.
"babe you alright?" he asked, now in a sitting position awaiting her reply. She didn't reply, just lay there facing the wall, the tears she was letting silently slip down her face couldn't reach Hopper's view that way. He placed his larger hand on her small shoulder, "Joyce what's up? talk to me please" he pleaded with her. "I'm tired, go to sleep" she mumbled, it was almost inaudible.
Hopper sighed, he knew she was stubborn but if something was wrong they'd always talk, so what was different this time? She knew he wouldn't go to sleep without something, he was almost as stubborn as her. "why do you love me?" she blurted out, immediately regretting her choice.
Hopper was shocked, his jaw almost hit the floor. Was she really asking this? "you're joking right?" he asked still in disbelief. She turned to face him for the first time that night, he saw the tears brimming in her eyes and the dried ones on her cheeks. He pulled her into a hug and held her tighter than he had before, "you really wanna know?" he asked and she nodded in response when she pulled back.
"Joyce Horowitz" he started and Joyce blushed at the use of her maiden name, "I love you because what other mom would go to a different dimension to rescue her son or to save me, what other woman could still be so strong after everything you've been through?" he questioned. "I mean that's not mentioning how beautiful, kind and caring you are and how you're letting me and El stay here and how you treat her like one of your own" he smiled and reached out to hold her hand.
She smiled and laced their fingers together, "and you yell at anyone in your way, I don't wanna cross you when you're pissed again" he said, letting put a slight laugh. She let a few tears slip down her face and tried to break eye contact with Hopper, which didn't work and he noticed the tears. "what's going on baby?" he asked softly, now more concerned than before.
"My mind is convinced you can find someone better than me, like Chrissy and that you'll leave me and I- I can't lose you Hop" she replied quietly, unsure of whether she should have admitted that to him. Hopper was shocked, she thought he was going to leave her!? "You can't get rid of me Joy because I'm madly in love with you, have been for years so I'm here as long as you want me baby" he leant in and kissed her softly on the lips.
When they pulled away Hopper got up from the bed and pulled her up too, "where we going?" she asked. "dinner, I'm starving and I bet you are too" he answered, opening the bedroom door and they walked down the hall hand in hand. Joyce smiled, "now you mention it I am." He laughed and heated up their food, placing it on the table while Joyce poured them a glass of wine each.
They sat opposite each other on the dinner table; eating, drinking, talking and laughing. Once they finished their food they could hear a faint snore coming from the living room, El. Hopper carried her into Will's room where she was sleeping for now and placed her in the makeshift bed that was currently in place. Hopper leant down to kiss her forehead and they left the room, walking hand in hand to their own.
They both climbed in bed and lay beneath the thin duvet. Joyce cuddled into Hopper's side, her head resting on his chest and his head resting on top of hers. Joyce fell asleep first, exhausted from her day at work and Hopper stayed up a little longer admiring the woman beside him. "how'd I get so lucky?" he whispered before kissing her head and falling into a deep sleep.