Several days later, after the sugar highs and crashes had passed, and Hop and Billy had their encounter in the bathroom, and all of the events during said time had been processed by everyone, life was settling back to normal in the Hopper cabin. Neil Hargrove received a visit from Hopper, in the uniform he lent Billy, on a cold Saturday morning. Hop was thinking it was the first time he had seen Neil quite as early in the day, and therefore, sober. The only other time he had seen him was the one of first nights he was dropping El off for a sleepover, and Neil answered the door rather than Susan. That evening Neil, beer cans covering the coffee table, Neil was holding on to the door for dear life, swaying just a bit. He had explained Susan was upstairs with Max getting everything ready. Hopper was tempted to turn around and take El back home, he definitely wouldn't have trusted this man not once if he had seen him before, but Max came running to the door with Susan on her heels, and the two girls were so excited he didn't have the heart to do it, as El was rarely allowed to sleep anywhere but home. And even if he did take her back, she would either complain and whine (maybe even cry) about it or not talk to him out of anger for days... maybe weeks. Or both. a little after some awkward silence, Neil stumbled towards the bedrooms mumbling something about going to bed. On this cold November morning, Hopper turned his attention to Susan Hargrove instead of the 'sober' douche. He couldn't help thinking of how she reminded him of a chihuahua, strangely. She looked so breakable and tiny in her clothes, fragile really, not to mention a slight shakiness running through her. He couldn't imagine her bark having any bite following it. Not with such a figure. He noticed she kept pulling her sleeves over her wrists, going so far as to cover her thumbs. Neil Hargrove, of course, had both hands on Susan's shoulders, dangerously close to her neck. Definitely not unnoticed by a police chief's eyes. "Mr. Hargrove, you know my daughter, El, and Max are very close friends, and I know you have an older son, Billy". Hop broke the silence. He quickly paused, seeing something like fear and caution cross her eyes, and pure ice in Neil's blue eyes, as well as a quick flare of anger. Hopper expected a negative emotion to connect whenever he mentioned Billy, but he never imagined that emotion (this ice-cold glare) to be so sharp and hollow.
Nevertheless, he continued: "I am asking this as a father, not a police officer. I have a very special... investigation, you could say. I am working on with the FBI, and it will take up a lot of my time. I was wondering if Max could stay with El after school and sleep over to keep her company, and Billy keep an eye on the two of them. Just to make sure the girls don't do anything crazy around the house" Hop gave Neil a humorous glance, trying to lighten the mood. More like to see if Neil's stare would change at all. Hop cleared his throat after an awkward moment of silence. "-I can get someone else for school hours, as she is homeschooled, but I don't want her feeling alone so much. She's not used to an empty house during the night so I imagine Max and Billy would help." Hopper was lying through his teeth in a bid to keep the kids safe and out of Neil Hargrove's house. He wasn't usually one to throw simple smiles and 'jokes' but he didn't want to look so formal in front of the man. Afterall... he didn't want to raise any suspicions in Neil's head. And yes, he had a special investigation going, but really with the FBI doing him a favor and gathering most of the information, and the target was Neil Hargrove himself, he needed this to work. Neil rubbed his index finger and thumb along his jawline, and Hop swore he could smell burning rubber from the wheels in his head turning. "How about we follow your plan during the week, but the girls stay here Saturday through Sunday afternoon? I trust you. but we still want to spend family time with our little girl" Neil finally replied with a forced-out-looking smile. "And yours is more than welcome here. Besides... Billy needs some time to do his own thing and you know how boys are." It was obvious to Hop how hard Neil was trying to look how he was some perfect wonderful father. " I don't even mind if he stays at your place over the weekends... I am sure there will be some things around the house that will need attention." Hopper noted, with a touch of sadness, that Billy was not included in "family time". But... was it really a surprise? However, he almost burst out laughing at the way Neil Hargrove said some things around the house could use attention. Because, really, Neil had no idea how true those words were, though it was specifically someone, not "some things". They parted with mutual thanks and Neil stating that Maxine and Billy would be there tomorrow afternoon to settle in. Hopper got back in his truck, pleased with the compromise, and now knowing Neil would not harm Billy if he was in the house while El was there. Besides, he knew El could do an incredible amount of damage to protect herself, Max, and Billy if he went home. Now he just needed to take care of the difficult part: talk
As Hop drove back to his cabin, he started to get a little nervous about how the afternoon would go. There were not a lot of people that knew ALL the ups and downs he had been through so far in his life, and fewer knew some of the history both he and Joyce were going to go through with Billy. People in small towns just made-up gossip to fill in unknown or hidden details, and there were plenty of skeletons in the closets of the Byers house and Hopper cabin. This was the heartland of Reagan's America. Bad things never happened here in most people's minds. Everyone conformed with societal norms. Everyone knew each other, of course that didn't stop the rumors and theories. If a marriage fell apart, the woman was a bad wife, if one of the town "lifers" got arrested, it was a misunderstanding, and when Joyce's son will went missing, he was lost in the woods or someplace unfamiliar. They were just good, God-Fearing Americans that went to church on Sundays, so never you mind what happened Monday through Saturday, bless their heart.
Joyce Byers was Jim Hopper's sounding board and confidante. They had known each other since kindergarten, so were lifers through and through. Sure, Jim left for several years to fight in Vietnam, then got married and lived away from Hawkins for a few years before coming home, but the girl he married must have been a bad wife (bless her heart) according to the town's people, because he divorced her and moved back to Hawkins, where he belonged. Not many knew the real story, but Joyce did. Most didn't know Joyce threw Lonnie Byers out and divorced him. Most assumed he left Joyce and his two sons. But Hopper knew the full story. It's just how small-town life could be. The Hargrove-Mayfield clan were "newcomers" and would be for at least 30 years, so really were not kept informed by the town grapevine, but boy were they a steady subject of it.
Hopper arrived back at his cabin just after noon, and asked Steve to take El out for a couple hours. Billy was due over soon, so Steve was hesitant to leave. Hopper expected this of course. But Hopper assured him that he and Joyce thought it would be best to speak to him alone. So, with a few hesitant steps, he went and got dressed so he could take El out to wherever he thought best. Joyce arrived a few minutes after Hopper returned. El and Steve were just about ready to leave, both now wearing their right attire and had everything in hand. but it being chill in the early November afternoon, El asked Steve to warm up the car for her, which he went out to do, gladly. Not like he would want to go in a freezing car either. Steve had decided to probably take her to one of the party's house. He'd see where they'd end up. Maybe he'd just gather all of them up and drive them to the park. Maybe have some "family time".
Joyce greeted Steve on the porch as they passed, and El met her just inside the front door. Joyce hugged El, to which El excitedly hugged back. She loved Joyce and thought of her as her mother (Bedsides Steve, you know) Joyce complimented her hair now that it was beginning to grow back into their long brown curls. Telling her she looked stunning. El loved it. "Thanks Joyce... I really appreciate it" She smiled warmly down at the girl before El then motioned for her to come closer like she was about to tell her a secret. "Friends don't lie, Joyce, and Jonathan lied to Steve, so he isn't really Steve's friend". El whispered instead. Joyce definitely did not expect that El's voice would sound so serious. Joyce looked rather taken aback and asked El what she meant. El explained everything that happened that evening several weeks ago when Billy arrived, and Jonathan claimed Steve invited Jonathan to sleep over and how it made Steve so upset that he was having a very bad panic attack and Billy spent almost half an hour calming Steve down. Her voice was one of seriousness, one that contrasted her naturally lively one. Joyce looked El in the eyes, put out a pinkie, which El hooked her pinkie to, and Joyce told El in a matching serious voice "I pinky promise I will talk to Jonathan later, and he will not be allowed to come here anymore". "Thank you" El quietly responded before she went out the front door, yelling a happy "Bye Hop!", and climbing into the passenger seat of Steve's BMW. Hopper came out of the kitchen and asked Joyce, who was VERY displeased at Jonathan's behavior as relayed by El, what the pinkie promise was about.
" Well, hello to you too. It was just something between us girls... nothing for you to worry about". She said with a smile, patting Hop's shoulder. They decided to talk around the table, and Jim asked Joyce how she thought was best to handle the conversation. Joyce knew about the scene Hopper walked in on of Billy's back covered in different colored bruises and several scars. She was also one of the few people that knew about Steve's anxiety, and how close he and Billy had become.
After discussing options, they decided to talk with Billy together about Hopper's father, and how the anger led to some lifechanging decisions. Joyce was going to stay mainly as emotional support for Hopper, then Joyce would talk with Billy alone about her ex-husband and how he treated her and the boys until she kicked him out. Then they both stepped onto the front porch to smoke.
Halfway through their second cigarette, Billy's Camaro came crawling down the rutted-out driveway. He pulled up close to the porch, opened the car door, and set one leg out of the car and on the ground "Where's Steve?" Was the first thing he asked. No hellos. Hopper sighed quietly "he'll be back shortly, but c'mon in, and meet my friend, Joyce, that I told you about". Billy was hesitant to agree, but eventually shut the Camaro down, and climbed up the porch steps. Hop ushered them all in the front door, and Billy dropped his backpack inside the door for now.
To Billy, they looked like an odd pair. Hopper was about 6'4" or 6'5" and had a big round belly. Joyce was maybe 5' nothing and basically skin and bones. Billy didn't doubt a hard wind would blow her over. Yet Billy found the differences in the couple cute and endearing. Hop directed them to the kitchen table and disappeared into the kitchen. Joyce was the first to break the silence. "Hi Billy. Since Caveman Jim has no manners, I'm Joyce Byers, but call me Joyce, please. Hop and I go way back to elementary school, and he told me some of what has been going on". She reached across the table to Billy, grasping one of his hands in both of hers "don't worry, what Hop, and I discuss, now or elsewhere, never passes our lips except when the other needs help". She could tell Billy was very tense, how wouldn't he be? But didn't want him bolting for the door, so checking to see if Hopper was coming, she quickly told Billy, "Hop doesn't know, but El just told me about Jonathan's behavior a few weeks ago".
Billy's eyes of confusion immediately turned cold and shallow at the mention of said boy. If Hop had seen that stare, he'd no doubt be scared at the way it reminded him of Bily's father. Her eyes turned hard and sharp, she stared right into Billy's sea blue eyes and her grip tightened "I will deal with him, and he will not be allowed to come to the cabin while you or Steve are here, and he will be punished for crossing boundaries and mistreating someone he claimed was a friend, but as El says, friends don't lie". Billy nodded and relaxed a bit, but still looked like he was kind of ready to bolt for the door if he didn't like what he heard. She may be tiny, but he had no doubt Joyce was not a woman you wanted to go up against.
Hopper re-entered from the kitchen with 3 glasses and a bottle of whiskey. He poured two fingers worth in each glass, set one in front of Joyce, one in front of Billy, which he did not release until Billy agreed he wouldn't leave or drive for an hour, and one in front of himself. Billy had visibly relaxed when Hopper came back in the room. Hopper raised his glass and made a simple toast, "to better days". "To better days" Billy and Joyce repeated and took a sip of the whiskey, while Hopper downed his in one shot. Hopper poured himself another two fingers worth, and let it sit in front of him for sipping this time. He had needed a little liquid courage to get through his part of their little pow-wow.
Hopper started by clearing his throat, "Billy, I wanted Joyce and myself to talk with you alone today because we have both been through similar situations and want you to understand that you can talk freely and safely with either of us, as people, not as police chief. Not just as Ms. Byers, but as Joyce as Jim. We don't expect you to say anything or tell us anything, and nothing said right now is to leave this room, especially not to Steve". He made sure to include that. He loved Steve, yes, he did, but he knew what the results could be if they told him. Hopper stops to get 3 glasses of water from kitchen, setting them back down next to the whiskey, and taking a sip before continuing. "Steve knows most, if not all, of this, we just don't want any of it raised because it could upset him, and we all know what happens when his anxiety gets to him".
Hopper looks down at his hands, takes a sip of his whiskey, then looks straight into Billy's eyes. "My dad used to hit me. From what I have seen, not as bad as your father, but mine was a mean drunk and alcoholic, so it didn't take much to set him off. It turned me into an angry kid, and I would start fights to take out my anger, and while I had a bunch of girlfriends in high school, none were ever too serious. Just so you know, Joyce and I never dated", to which Joyce nodded, "but she was a friend even in high school, and she listened when I needed someone to talk to". Hopper took another sip of his whiskey, comforted by the burn. "All I knew was I had to get away from that house and that man. I went straight from my graduation to the army recruitment center and volunteered to go to Vietnam. I figured if I killed enough of the enemy, I would finally feel less angry. It didn't work. Then I was put on special duty. I was mixing vats of chemicals, never bothered to wear the protective gear, nor did any of the other soldiers. It was mainly Agent Orange we later learned." Billy interrupted, not able to stop both his curiosity nor his concern, "wasn't Agent Orange that stuff that caused all kinds of medical problems and cancer in veterans and their kids"? Hopper tossed backed what was left of his whiskey, looked back at Billy with eyes that appeared a little wetter than a moment ago. He cleared his throat and said "yeah. That is the stuff. Anyway, eventually I was back in the US, no longer in the military, but I couldn't come back to Hawkins yet. I was still carrying too much anger directed at my dad. I became a police officer, got married", at this point Hop's voice cracked. He cleared his throat, poured, and downed another finger of whiskey, and excused himself for a minute, headed for the kitchen.
Billy looked at Joyce, noticed she had tears running down her cheeks, and could only guess it had something to do with jealousy over Hop getting married or being happy, though he was at a total loss. She excused herself and followed Hop. Billy took down the rest of his whiskey in one shot, poured himself 2 more fingers and took a sip off the top, figuring no one would notice, and refilled Hop's glass so the lower bottle level wasn't as obvious. Hopper and Joyce came out of the kitchen with red eyes, and Joyce reaching up to pat Hop on the shoulder. Hop sat down wearily, and Joyce rested her hand on Hop's, and he continued: "what finally helped me get rid of my anger was when my then-wife and I had a beautiful baby girl we named Sarah. She was the most beautiful and happy kid you would ever see, and she had me wrapped around her finger". "When she was five, we found out she had cancer". Hop pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose. "It was leukemia, and it was really bad". He cleared his throat, took a drink of water, and continued. "Since it was a particularly aggressive form, we got her in a trial at the "Hawkins Children's Hospital", which we now know as the Lab". Hopper looked at Billy like a man with his heart ripped out. "I have blamed myself every day for her getting cancer because of how I handled all those unknown chemicals in 'Nam". Hop looked down again. "Sarah was 6 when she died." Billy's stomach dropped. The environment of the room seemed to drop a few degrees. Not what he was expecting at all. Hop continued, "My heart was ripped out of me and there was nothing left. Soon I started drinking too much, though never on duty, and I just shut my wife out. We were divorced within a year". He looked up at Billy again, "I was offered the job of Chief of Police here in Hawkins and took it. By now, I had cut way back on drinking, and I knew I still had friends here". He squeezed Joyce's hand.
He looked up at Billy again, "I was offered the job of Chief of Police here in Hawkins and took it. By now, I had cut way back on drinking, and I knew I still had friends here". He squeezed Joyce's hand. "Not many people know about my daughter, and I am telling you this, so you understand me a bit better and why keeping kids safe, and not putting up with abusers matters so much to me. I am asking you not to talk with anyone about this, and hopefully you now understand why I am so protective of 'my kids' El, Steve, and by extension Max and you." Hop paused, watching Billy's reaction. It was like a sharp punch landed right in Billy's chest when he heard that. By extension, Max and... him? It seemed absurd... He never really thought of himself as anyone's son by then. He preferred it that way. But... but Hop was different, obviously. Billy only swallowed thickly before he looked back at Hopper, waiting for him to continue. "Just so you know... I paid your dad a visit this morning, told him I am working on a case with the FBI, and he has agreed to let you and Max stay here during the week 'to keep El company, and for you to watch them'. On weekends, he and Susan want Max and El at their house, which is fine by me. He also volunteered you to stay here if I need anything done around the house or property on weekends while I am on this case". Billy, still shell shocked from everything just told him, smiled widely and thanked Hop. He would practically be living in the cabin for whoever knows how long this "investigation" would go on. His mind immediately went to Steve. Every day? With Steve here? And knowing Max was safe out of reach of Neil during the week and even more during the weekend when El would be over to Neil's house? It sounded too good to be true for Billy. "I am guessing El can more than take care of herself if there are any issues?" Hop just nodded. "Let's go out for a smoke or ten, then I will let you and Joyce talk alone while I make us all something to eat. Steve will be back around the night, so I'll begin to plan a big dinner for all of us. I think what she has to say about her marriage to Lonnie, her boys' dad, may help you a lot, but I think it would be better if you talked alone". Billy nodded. They all downed what was left of their whiskey and headed out to the front porch.
((HELLO!!!!!! This chapter was written by @sass1420))
((Seriously, they are helping me SO much with this story- I've been pretty busy, and they are helping me more than I thought they would, and I am so, so very grateful <3 they're so amazing and I love them!!! I have the next few chapters and ideas planned thanks to them, seriously, I might wanna add a short lil chapter just to show where Steve went because I find it fun to write those sometimes and just to lighten the mood from the sad stuffs. Welp, I love all of you (I love you too Stephen, you're amazing) I hope you all have a good day!! And how was your Thanksgiving? I'd love to know! :3