My heart is finally starting to heal

I need you safe

It had been a long couple hours and hopper felt like he could vomit as he walked up to Joyce's room. He opened the door and peered around the corner where her bed was. The room was quiet apart from the heart monitor. She lay on the bed asleep looking almost lifeless. 

It killed him to see her like this. One minute they're  laughing and cuddling up in the bed, the next she's laying in a hospital bed trying not to die. It seemed as though every time his life took one step forward it took three steps back. She was the love of his life from the moment they met in 6th grade, even if it took them 28 years to admit it.

He sat in a chair next to her bed, putting his hand over hers, gently rubbing it. "You're gonna be okay." He said not knowing if he was saying it for her sake or for his.

Hopper was gonna find out who did this no matter what. But he wasn't going to leave her alone, like ever again. He shouldn't be blaming himself he knew that, but the guilt kept creeping over him. He grew frustrated, why didn't he just stay inside with her? The only thing he did know was that whoever ran into the woods clearly came back to finish what they started.

Joyce started to stir in her sleep. Her eyes slowly opening to meet hoppers. "Hey" he smiled at her leaning up to press a kiss to her forehead. "hey" she replied softly. "who was it?" She asked. He sighed and moved a strand of hair out of her face.
"I don't know"

~Time Skip~

It was a slow 4 days but Joyce was finally getting to go home. Hopper packed and carried everything, and opened every door for her. When they returned home, Jim practically did everything for her. Though Joyce noticed him being a lot more gentle and caring towards her. More so than usual.

She understood that he was worried about her, reasonably so. But he seemed on edge about something. They had only been home from the hospital for 36 hours and he had already put alarms on the doors and windows, and set up security cameras around the outside of the house.

She didn't know whether to bring it up or to just let time do it's thing, but he knew something that she didn't and she hated being lied to. They were getting ready for bed when she couldn't help but say something. "What's going on, Jim?" She questions. He looks at her, question in his eyes. "Well someone just tried to kill you so I'm trying to be a little more protective..." he answered sarcastically. She let out a light chuckle but silence quickly fell over the room again.

~2 weeks later~

They hadn't continued on the short conversation they had weeks prior. But Joyce was still slightly irritated of hoppers secretiveness.

She was going to say something to him again but didn't want to make him feel bad for trying to be protective, but she also wanted to ask him straight up with no confusion. They were cuddled up on the couch, she was in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder. "What aren't you telling me?" She asks suddenly. "What're you talking about?" She's annoyed at his attempt to play dumb. "You know what I'm talking about." She states lifting her head up.

"I don't know anything, Joyce." He lied again. "Seriously, Jim!? Quit lying to me and tell me the truth!" She raised her voice unintentionally. He flung his hands in the air. "You know what fine. If you want the truth, I'll give it to you. I let that person go! I let them get away because I assumed it was some stupid teenagers! I easily could've caught them but I intentionally didn't!" He shouted. He wasn't mad at her but he didn't need her snooping around and getting hurt.

"Why didn't you just say that when I asked you last time then!?" She matched his volume, clearly visibly upset. "You know I hate being lied to, Jim" Her voice was shaky and she was on the verge of tears. He felt guilty about not telling her. "I'm sorry, babe." That's all he said before pulling her back into his lap, wrapping his arm around her. He reached over to grab a blanket and pull it over them.

"I need you safe." He whispered.