It's Always Been You {a jopper story}

Danger.

A few weeks had passed since Joyce and Hopper's date. Joyce was at Melvald's working her longest shift of the week. 9am-6pm. Hopper had a busy day that particular day, he didn't even get to stop by Melvald's for lunch with Joyce. Joyce called his office during the day and said to go straight home to cook for the kids and be there for them. 

Once the clock hit six Joyce left the store in Donald's care. She got into her battered green pinto and drove home. Once she arrived in the house she could smell whatever meal Hopper was cooking from the hall. She walked into the kitchen quietly without Hopper noticing her. She crept up behind him and hugged him from the back.

"Jesus Joy you scared me." Hopper said clearly startled by her arrival. She laughed and smiled as he turned around to face her. He gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. "so how was work?" he asked continuing cooking. "it was pretty boring, the usual barely any customers" he laughed. "well i would have kept you company but i had shit tonnes of paperwork" he rolled his eyes as she laughed. 

At 6:4pm dinner was finally ready and the kids came running into the kitchen clearly hungry. They all ate pretty silently with only slight small talk until a knock at the door. Hopper got up out of his chair "i'll get it" smiling clearly not knowing who would be on the other side. He opened the door to see non other than Dr Sam Owens on the other side. 

Hopper didn't want the rest of the family seeing him there, if Sam was there something bad must be happening, he walked out of the door and closed it behind him. "Sam to what do i owe the pleasure?" Hopper asked sarcastically. "it isn't good Jim" he said nervously.

"you have to be shitting me Sam, again" Hopper sighed taking a cigarette from his top pocket and lighting it. "there's something going on at the lab again, Russians broke in and started trying to open up the gate again." Hopper let out a drag of air as Owens continued. "we need your help Jim, to clear them out"

"seriously! i have a family Owens you can't find anyone else to help out" Hopper said loudly almost shouting. "no one knows the upside down aswell as you Jim" he said resting a hand on his shoulder. "okay i'll help, when do we start?" Hopper asked knowing this was going to be dangerous.

"tonight, easiest approach they won't see it coming" Owens said leaving for his car. "meet us at the Hawkins PD tonight 8pm sharp" All Hopper could do was nod before Owens drove away. Hopper walked back into the kitchen thinking of what he was going to tell Joyce. The family ate dinner in silence once more.

Once they finished eating the El and Will ran back to their rooms leaving Joyce, Hopper and Jonathan in the kitchen. "who was at the door?" Joyce asked cleaning the plates from the table. "owens" Hopper replied plainly. "what did he want?" Hopper really didn't want to tell Joyce what was going on she would freak out.

Hopper started to walk upstairs clearly trying to avoid the conversation. Joyce was about to follow when Jonathan stopped her. "are you sure you want to follow him he looks pissed off" Jonathan looked worried after witnessing the previous years of abuse his mother went through. "i'll be fine okay." Joyce replied bluntly walking up the stairs and into their room.

When she walked into the room she saw Hopper sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. She decided to sit next to him. She wanted to help him. She needed to. "what did he say hop?" she asked placing a hand on his back. "owens" he sighed "he wants me to help clear out Russians that are in the lab... and i am" 

Hearing this Joyce stood up completly shocked. "you are doing what?!" she shouted worried more than anything. "i know its dangerous Joy believe me i didn't want to do it but they need me." Joyce looked like she was going to break, he couldn't do this it was too dangerous. "i'm going to come home safe Joy, okay?" 

She let out a weak smile "okay just promise me you will be safe and that you are going to come home to me" he smiled and got up to hug her "i promise, i'm not going to leave you Joy" he whispered and kissed her head. "i need to go now Joy but i love you and i'll get someone to update you"

She kissed him once more and replied "i love you too" before he sped off in his car leaving her alone on the porch swing. Joyce walked inside, she was already anxious awaiting a phone call to say he was safe. Hopper sped off towards Hawkins PD anxiously waiting for what was instore. Once arriving inside the PD Hopper was greeteed by many soliders and lab workers.

"Jim" Owens said quietly "may we talk in your office quickly?" owens asked moving closed to Hopper's office. Hopper nodded and walked into his office closing the door behind them. "now Jim i know i should have probably told you this before but we need to fake your death to catch Brenner" Owens sighed knowing Hopper would take this badly.

"You can't be serious right now Owens, you think Joyce is going to take this well? You think my kid is going to take this well?" Hopper shouted now he had never been so angry. "you have to let me tell them i won't be dead" Hopper exclaimed. "i can't let you do that Jim it would ruin the whole plan, we need Brenner who is alive somehow, to show up at your funeral so we need the emotion to be real"

Hopper was pacing his office by now. "so there's no russians?" Hopper asked confused. "no but Brenner is there and he wants to open the gate again" Hopper sighed and shook his head. "do what you need to but don't blame me when Joyce gets pissed at you" Hopper slumped into his chair on the verge of tears. 

"we need to get you into hiding and then i'm going to call Joyce at around 10pm" Owens said leaving the room and Hopper following. By 9:50pm Hopper was in the military base hiding until further notice and Joyce was anxiously awating his arrival home which wasn't going to happen on that particular night.

It was now just after 10pm and Owens picked up the phone to dial the Hopper-Byers residence. Joyce, El, Will and Jonathan were all sat watching a movie, no one could sleep, not after Joyce told them Hopper would be out fighting. The phone rang and Joyce quickly got up out of her seat to answer. This was the call to tell her Hopper was safe, right?

She answered the phone quickly and said "hello Joyce Byers speaking." There was a moment of silence before Joyce heard Owens voice.

"hi Joyce it's Owens-" 

Joyce cut him off excitedly "is he on his way back now?" 

Owens sighed sadly "I'm so sorry Joyce i'm afraid he's passed-"

And with that Joyce stopped listening.